Vermeil Ready, Reinvigorated

Dick Vermeil returned to coaching after a 14-year absence, burning to prove the game hasn’t passed him by.

Vermeil, 60, was so fired up during a news conference to announce his five-year, $9-million deal as coach and president of football operations for the St. Louis Rams that he spoke for a half-hour before taking questions from exhausted reporters.

Said Vermeil, who nearly broke down twice during a monologue that was equal parts inspirational message and schmaltz: “I have never been, in my life, more confident or better prepared.”

Vermeil already has begun to assemble his staff. Jerry Rhome, fired last week by the Houston Oilers, will be offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach.

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Even though the buck will stop at his desk, new Atlanta Falcon Coach Dan Reeves says he’ll need plenty of help.

“I’m in charge of football operations,” said Reeves, who plans to lean heavily on Ken Herock, in charge of player personnel since 1987. “I’m going to work with the people that are there. We’ll see if we can work together.”

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Buffalo defensive coordinator Wade Phillips has agreed to stay with the Bills for at least two years, unless he receives an offer to become a head coach. He has applied for the vacant New Orleans Saint position. . . . Matt Cavanaugh, quarterback coach of the San Francisco 49ers last season, was hired as offensive coordinator of the Chicago Bears. . . . George Brown, a former NFL official, has died at a nursing home in a Cleveland suburb. He was 89.