Chiefs Assistant Darvin Wallis Retires after 26 NFL Seasons

Jan 18, 2008, 2:20:36 PM

Chiefs President Carl Peterson announced on Friday that Darvin Wallis has retired after 26 seasons in the NFL coaching ranks. Wallis has spent the past 19 seasons as a defensive assistant/quality control coach.

“Darvin Wallis has been a valued employee of the Kansas City Chiefs for nearly two decades,” Peterson commented. “The fact that he worked under four different head coaches is a testament to his abilities and the contribution he made to our football team. On behalf of the entire Chiefs organization, we thank Darvin and his family for his many years of dedicated service and we wish him the best in his retirement.”

“To me, Darvin epitomized what it means to be a professional in this league,” head coach Herm Edwards observed. “He’s one of the most selfless coaches I’ve ever been associated with. Most Chiefs fans probably don’t know who Darvin is, but if you’ve been a member of the Kansas City coaching staff at any point over the past 20 years, you know how valuable his contribution was to our team for many, many years. We thank Darvin for a job well done and wish him all the best.”

Wallis’ 19-year tenure with Kansas City ranked the second-longest stint by an assistant coach in franchise history, trailing only Tom Pratt (21 years). Wallis also joined Pratt by holding the distinction of becoming the only other assistant coach in club history to serve under four different head coaches. Wallis worked under Marty Schottenheimer, Gunther Cunningham, Dick Vermeil and Herm Edwards.

The 36-year coaching veteran was a member of 14 playoffs teams, including nine with the Chiefs. Wallis is one of only six assistant coaches in Kansas City history to serve more than one full decade with the club. In addition, he was one of 19 coaches in NFL history to work for a team in all 10 years of a 100-win decade as Kansas City produced a 102-58 record from ‘90-99.

Prior to joining the Chiefs, Wallis served in a similar capacity for seven years under Schottenheimer with the Cleveland Browns (’82-88). Before embarking on his NFL coaching career, he tutored the tight ends and tackles at the University of Mississippi (’80-81). He also was the offensive line and strength coach at Tulane (’78-79) and oversaw the offensive front at Adams State (’76-77). The Fort Branch, Indiana native began his coaching career at Wilcox High School (’72) before taking the head coaching reigns at Ajo High School in Ajo, Arizona (’73-75). Wallis and his wife Vicky have three sons, Tyson, Darvin, Jr. and Austin.