The shy cornerback from east Texas wasn't shy about asking how to get better.

Emmitt Thomas started his career as a talented but quiet cornerback and emerged as one of the Chiefs' all-time best players. He will be enshrined next month in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and the Chiefs announced Monday that Thomas' No. 18 will be retired before a game Oct. 19.

Former secondary and linebackers coach Tom Bettis watched Thomas mature when Thomas began his career in 1966. Bettis said all Thomas wanted was to be a good player and, later, a good coach.

"He wanted it bad," said Bettis, who also introduced Thomas to coaching. "And you have to. You have to have a passion for it if you're going to play."

Thomas will be the ninth Chiefs player to have his number retired. Former Chiefs receiver Samie Parker, who signed this offseason with the Denver Broncos, wore No. 18 last season. No player is listed on the Chiefs' offseason roster with that number assigned to them.

"Certainly, the Chiefs feel it is appropriate that no other player should ever wear his jersey," executive vice president Denny Thum said in a release by the team.

Attempts to reach Thomas on Monday were unsuccessful. A team spokesman said Chiefs president Carl Peterson was out of the country and unavailable for comment.

Thomas, who attended Bishop College, played 13 seasons in Kansas City and had 58 interceptions, which is ninth in NFL history. He also played for the Chiefs in the first Super Bowl.

Former GM Jim Schaaf said the Chiefs' defense during Thomas' career was among the best of all time. Three of Thomas' former teammates — linebackers Willie Lanier and Bobby Bell and defensive tackle Buck Buchanan — already are Hall of Famers.

"It was a time of great players, and Emmitt was at the top of the list," Schaaf said.

Schaaf also remembered Thomas' quiet way. He was a leader, Schaaf said, but not a loud one. It was that demeanor that led him to a long coaching career after he retired as a player in 1978. Thomas has been an Atlanta Falcons assistant since 2002, and he was appointed interim head coach last December after Bobby Petrino resigned. He was chosen assistant head coach and secondary coach after the Falcons hired Mike Smith as their permanent replacement for Petrino.

Thomas began his coaching career in 1979 at Central Missouri State before coaching for six NFL teams.

"His attitude was all work and no nonsense," Schaaf said. "He never complained; he just worked hard. He was just a winner all the way. What more can you say about a great player?"