Chiefs visit fans, say 'thank you'

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The man in the crowded restaurant grabbed his cell phone and began dialing as quickly as his short, chubby fingers could punch the buttons.

"Guess who just walked up to my table and introduced himself?" he said, practically shouting to be heard above the din. "Dick Vermeil! And he had Trent Green and Bobby Bell with him!"

Kansas Citians in factories, restaurants and shopping malls all over town got unexpected visits Thursday afternoon from many of the people who own, run, play or used to play for the Kansas City Chiefs.

The idea was to just stroll around and thank everyone for supporting the team that will mark its 40th anniversary this fall and has led the NFL in home attendance six of the past seven seasons.

"I think this is wonderful. It really makes me wish the football season were beginning right away," said one woman.

With everybody starting at noon, owner Lamar Hunt and a collection of past and present players showed up at the General Motors Assembly plant across the river in Kansas City, Kan. Hall of fame quarterback Len Dawson and his group took the downtown Kansas City, Mo., area. President and general manager Carl Peterson worked the Sprint campus and other parts of suburban Johnson County.

Vermeil, accompanied by wife, Carol, as well as Green and Bell, mingled with shoppers and diners on the fashionable Country Club Plaza.

News media outlets agreed not to say anything about the Chiefs' plan so the whole production could be as spontaneous as possible.

The only people who knew what was coming were the managers of the various businesses that were visited.

For Vermeil, there was only one sour note. After chatting with a tableful of young women, he wished them well and turned around to Carol.

"Can you believe this," he said. "I just found out it's national secretaries day. And we didn't do a thing, not a thing, in our offices."

TEXANS: Former Cowboys linebacker Robert Jones was among 15 roster additions announced by expansion Houston. Jones, drafted by the Cowboys in 1992, has played 150 games in the NFL, with Dallas, the Rams, Dolphins and, last season, the Redskins. The Texans also claimed punter John Baker, who played at North Texas, off waivers from St. Louis.

DOLPHINS: Miami rookie guard James Wagstaff injured his left hand and was in serious condition after his sport utility vehicle flipped over on Interstate 595 near Miami. Wagstaff had multiple hand fractures, soft tissue damage and hand and wrist dislocations.

-- From wire reports