These days, Vermeil all in as Midshipmen fan
Navy undefeated whenever ex-NFL coach attends game
In the joyous Navy football locker room following a 35-3 rout of South Florida on Oct. 19, there was a recognizable figure speaking to the team.
Video from the postgame celebration showed one of the most successful head coaches in National Football League history delivering a speech to the Midshipmen.
It was none other than Dick Vermeil, who led the Philadelphia Eagles into Super Bowl XV and the Los Angeles Rams to victory in Super Bowl XXXIV. Vermeil, who spent 15 seasons as an NFL head coach, has become an avid Navy football fan.
“Coach Vermeil loves coming to our games, which is great for our program,” Navy coach Ken Niumatalolo said. “It’s pretty cool seeing him standing on the sidelines.”
When Niumatalolo realized Vermeil was in the locker following the South Florida victory, he did not hesitate to ask the potential Hall of Famer to address the Midshipmen.
“I have to remember whenever Coach Vermeil is here because why would I talk?” Niumatalolo said. “Just sit down and let the Super Bowl champion coach talk to the team. He’s a tremendous person, a real humble man, and it’s awesome for our kids to hear from him.”
Former Navy football player Pat Hoffman is responsible for connecting Vermeil to the program. Their friendship is rooted in a high school field hockey game between Gwynned Mercy Academy and Villa Maria Academy.
Hoffman, who lives in Audubon, Pennsylvania, was in attendance to watch his daughter play goalie for Gwynned Mercy. Vermeil, who has lived in Glen Mills, Pennsylvania, ever since he coached the Eagles, was on hand to see his granddaughter — the star forward for Villa Maria.
There was a weather delay and Hoffman, a lifelong Philadelphia Eagles fan, wound up talking to Vermeil in the parking lot. Several months later, Vermeil served as the keynote speaker for an event held at a country club in Reading, Pennsylvania. Hoffman was in attendance along with some business clients.
“Coach Vermeil comes up to meand asks: ‘Have we met?’ I reminded him about the field hockey game, and we wound up chatting for about 15 minutes,” Hoffman said. “Afterward, Coach Vermeil pulled me aside and gave me his business card.”
Hoffman wound up calling Vermeil and inviting him to attend a Navy football game. Vermeil readily accepted and wound up witnessing one of the biggest upsets in recent program history. Hoffman said the 82-year-old coach was grinning from ear to ear as Navy completed a wild 46-40 victory over sixth-ranked Houston.
It was October 8, 2016, and Vermeil was hooked. He has attended one game every year since and Navy has never lost whenever he has visited.
“Coach Vermeil loves everything about Navy football and just enjoys the whole game-day experience,” Hoffman said. “He is so incredibly respectful of what the Naval Academy is all about. I know he considered it a tremendous honor to be asked to address the team in the locker room after games.”
Vermeil coached the Eagles from 1976 through 1982, a run that culminated with 27-10 loss to the Oakland Raiders in January 1981. Vermeil, who had been head coach at UCLA prior to moving to the NFL, cited burnout in initially retiring in 1983.
Following a 15-year hiatus, he returned to the sidelines as head coach of the St. Louis Rams and directed a remarkable turnaround. After enduring records of 5-11 and 4-12 in his first couple seasons, Vermeil led the Rams to a 13-3 mark in 1999. Quarterback Kurt Warner would lead St. Louis to a Super Bowl victory over the Tennessee Titans.
Vermeil, who was named NFL Coach of the Year for the second time in his career, walked away from the game again in 1999. However, he came out of retirement once more to lead the Kansas City Chiefs from 2001 to 2005, finishing with a career record of 126-114, which includes postseason games.
Vermeil’s association with the Naval Academy began many years beforehand when he spoke at a leadership event at the invitation of Adm. Tom Lynch, who was superintendent at the time.
“I had an opportunity to speak at the Naval Academy and came away just so impressed with the entire institution along with the leadership and character of every individual I met,” Vermeil said. “That is when I first met Tom Lynch, who is such a great man. I was thrilled when we reconnected later in life and became close friends.”
Adm. Lynch settled in Philadelphia after retiring from the Navy and was working for a private equity firm when he crossed paths with Vermeil again. At the time, Vermeil was helping former college and professional athletes, primarily African Americans, get into the entrepreneurial game.
“Dick had a business on our campus and we got to know each other much better during that period,” Lynch recalled. “I was also Chairman of the Boys Scouts of America in the Philadelphia area and Dick was a strong supporter of the program, always available to speak at banquets or make appearances at fundraisers.
“Dick is such a quality, first-class guy — everyone will tell you that. I just think Dick is the most interesting man, a real renaissance man. Naturally, I’m absolutely thrilled that he loves Navy football and everything it stands for. He loves the patriotism and dedication of the players.”
Said Vermeil: “I’m a Navy fan, believe me. “It’s what we as Americans should all respect and appreciate.”