There are NFL head coaching vacancies on both sides of the state and the Chiefs and Rams have begun their quest to fill those vacancies. The Chiefs are trying to find a replacement for, now-retired, Dick Vermeil and they started the search by interviewing a candidate from within on Monday—offensive coordinator Al Saunders.

But the Chiefs aren’t the only team looking at Saunders. He has interviews scheduled with the Vikings on Tuesday and the Texans on Thursday. Yesterday Minnesota fired Mike Tice and the Texans fired Dom Capers.

Suanders was an assistant under Marty Schottenheimer from 1989-1998 and returned to Kansas City in 2001.

The Rams fired Mike Martz on Monday and have apparently secured its first interview. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported on Tuesday that the team has received permission from the Chicago Bears to talk to defensive coordinator Ron Rivera. A meeting is scheduled for later this week in Chicago.

Assistant coach Joe Vitt is not a candidate for the Rams’ head coaching job. Vitt served as the Rams interim head coach for the final 11 games of the season and went 4-7. Mike Martz stepped down to deal with an infection of a heart valve.

Vitt is having some health issues of his own. He entered a hospital on Monday due to a staph infection that was discovered in August.