Emmitt Thomas Emmitt Earl Thomas ( born June 3 , 1943 ) < ref name = nfl . com / players > < / ref > is currently the secondary coach of the National Football League ' s Kansas City Chiefs . He is a former college and professional football player who played for the American Football League ' s Kansas City Chiefs from 1966 to 1969 , and then for the Chiefs in the NFL from 1970 to 1978 . He owns the Chiefs all - time interception record with 58 , which places him ninth on pro football ' s all - time list . Thomas was elected to the NFL ' s Pro Football Hall of Fame after being nominated by the Seniors Committee . Playing career . Thomas made the Chiefs team as an undrafted free agent from Bishop College in Dallas . Thomas was an AFL All - Star in 1968 and made the NFL ' s AFC - NFC Pro Bowl 4 times ( 1971 , 1972 , 1973 , 1975 ) after the Chiefs joined the NFL in the 1970 AFL - NFL Merger . He was also selected All - Pro 3 times . In the 1969 season , he led all pro football with 9 interceptions , which he returned for 146 yards and a touchdown , helping his team win the AFL Championship and the fourth and last AFL - NFL World Championship Game , which the Chiefs won 23 - 7 over the NFL champion Vikings . Thomas recorded an interception in the Kansas City victory . In 1974 , Thomas led the NFL in interceptions ( 12 ) , return yards ( 214 ) , and return touchdowns ( 2 ) . Thomas retired from playing after thirteen seasons ; he finished his pro football career with 58 interceptions , which he returned for 937 yards and 5 touchdowns . He also recovered 4 fumbles , gained 64 yards returning punts , and returned 29 kickoffs for 673 yards . He played in 181 career games , tying for the 5th - most in club annals , and his 58 interceptions are a franchise record . Thomas was elected the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2008 . He was officially inducted at the Enshrinement Ceremony where his bust , sculpted by Scott Myers , was unveiled on August 2 , 2008 . Coaching career . Thomas has been an NFL assistant for six teams in the last 26 years . Before being named interim head coach of the Atlanta Falcons on December 12 , 2007 after the resignation of Bobby Petrino , Thomas was the Falcons ' Senior Defensive Assistant / Secondary Coach . After Petrino ' s sudden departure left the team in shambles , Thomas attempted to unite the Atlanta locker room , and was able to lead the Falcons to a season - ending victory over the Seattle Seahawks . On January 24 , 2008 , new Falcons head coach Mike Smith announced that Thomas would remain on staff as assistant head coach . Thomas was voted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame along with Darrell Green and Art Monk , two players he coached during Super Bowl runs with the Washington Redskins . On January 13 , 2010 , his contract expired and was not renewed by the Falcons . On February 1 , 2010 he was hired as the secondary coach of the Kansas City Chiefs . Personal life . Thomas and his wife , Jacqui , reside in Kansas City , Missouri . He has two grown children from a previous marriage . His son Derek is the former head basketball coach at Western Illinois University , while his daughter Dedra is a nurse and resides in Marshall , Texas .