Kansas City, Mo ? Priest Holmes loves his father very much, and so the capture of Saddam Hussein held special meaning for Holmes, the Kansas City Chiefs’ record-breaking running back.

Herman Morris, a master sergeant in the Army Reserve, ships out next week for Iraq. He didn’t have to. He could be relaxing at the fishing cabin Holmes wanted to buy him a few months ago with his $8.5 million signing bonus.

Instead, Sgt. Morris called his family together and explained he had volunteered for a 12-month tour of duty in one of the most dangerous places in the world. He’ll help organize and run supply convoys that sometimes come under attack.

“He’s past 50, and he’ll be in a combat zone. He will definitely be in danger,” said Holmes, his gaze fixed upon the carpeted floor of the Kansas City locker room. “That morning they got Saddam Hussein, my hope was maybe now the hostility will go down.”

Holmes was 4 years old when his mother married Morris. Holmes and his sisters immediately formed a very close bond with their stepfather.

“Sometimes I would get off work early and go watch football practice,” Morris said. “Priest would see me out there, and he would always come over and introduce his friends to me. He would smile and say, ‘This is my dad.’

“I could tell he was proud of me. That was such a reward, such an honor.”

Said Holmes, “He is my dad. He was always there for me. He always encouraged me in everything I did. He would say, ‘If there’s something driving you, then go after it.’

“Now it’s time for him to do what he thinks he should do.”

Morris prefers not to say which unit he’ll be with, or exactly where he’ll be. But he seems very comfortable with his decision.

“I’ll be in charge of transportation units. It will be my job to monitor and to make sure they get the supplies they need, and make sure they connect with the people they’re supposed to be serving,” he said.

“It’s a job where a lot of people count on you. The soldiers count on you to make sure the roads are clear, that they don’t head off into some ambush or land mines. The people they’re serving count on you.”

While on active duty during the Vietnam War, Morris was helping repair a bomber when fire broke out. He was given a citation for pulling another man out of the burning plane — possibly saving his life — despite suffering severe injuries himself.

“I don’t think anyone wants to go to war, or be shot at or have to shoot someone,” he said. “But it comes with the job. We do what we’ve been trained to do.”

Still, even close friends are puzzled. Why not take it easy and let a wealthy, successful, loving son pay the bills?

“I could ask my son for anything, and he would get it for me,” Morris said. “I’ve told him, and I’ve told friends, that Priest worked hard. He’s earned everything he has. His mother and I are blessed by what he wants to do for us. But what we did, we did out of love for our children.”

Explaining to Holmes and his two sisters why he’d chosen to join his fellow soldiers in Iraq, Morris drew an analogy with football.

“I need to be with my teammates just like you need to be with yours,” he said.

“When Priest was just starting to play football, people said he was too small, he was too short, he was too this, too that. I told him the one thing you cannot see is what’s in a person’s heart.

“Well, Priest has shown the world that he has the heart to play football. And I believe I’ve got the heart to go to Iraq and serve.”

Holmes’ mother and father will be in the crowd Sunday for the Chiefs’ regular-season finale against Chicago, hoping to see him score the one rushing touchdown he needs to break the NFL season record.

Two weeks later, Holmes will be in the playoffs, and his dad will be in Iraq.

“I think my dad’s making a good decision,” he said. “I don’t think he would be content inside if he didn’t go to Iraq and be with his teammates.”

The Army has invited Holmes to visit his dad’s unit after the season.

“I’m looking forward to it,” Holmes said.

Chiefs’ general manager Carl Peterson winces at the thought of his Pro Bowl running back spending time in a war zone. But he wouldn’t think of trying to stop him.

“I know how much Priest admires his dad,” Peterson said. “I admire him, too.”