Chiefs owner Clark Hunt will pick the next head coach

As expected, the Kansas City Chiefs announced Monday that they have fired Romeo Crennel after he led the team to a 2-14 record in his lone season as head coach. In a unique twist, owner Clark Hunt said that the next head coach will report directly to him, according to the team's website:

"I'm going to lead the search and I'll hire the next coach of the Kansas City Chiefs and he will report directly to me.

"It is a significant change. I just feel it's so important that we get the right head coach for the Kansas City Chiefs and I think we'll have the best chance of doing that with a direct report to me."

The coaching search will begin Monday afternoon, according to Hunt.

Hunt released a statement that said he had a "tremendous amount of respect" for Crennel, but the team needed to move in a new direction. Hunt added that he was "embarrassed by the poor product" the franchise provided for its fans in 2012, and after personally apologizing, he promised to do whatever he can to make Kansas City a "dramatically better team."

Crennel took over in Kansas City for the 2012 season after serving as the defensive coordinator for former head coach Todd Haley from 2010 to 2011.

Meanwhile, Hunt added there was no decision, nor a timetable for one, regarding the status of General Manager Scott Pioli, who led the Chiefs to a 24-40 record over the past four seasons at his position.