Kansas City, Mo ? Dick Vermeil cries when he’s happy.

He didn’t cry Sunday.

Kansas City’s coach wasn’t in much of a mood to discuss his feelings at all, really, after the Indianapolis Colts’ 38-31 win over the Chiefs in an AFC divisional playoff game.

“Why should I talk about myself? I’m OK,” Vermeil said. “I feel fine, other than I just got my (rear) kicked.”

Vermeil was subdued in his postgame talk to the team, defensive end Vonnie Holliday said.

“He was emotional, and you could tell he was disappointed, but he kept it short and sweet,” Holliday said. “I think it really stung him. It stung all of us.”

It was the first postseason loss at home for Vermeil — and the first time a team failed to reach the Super Bowl in its third year under him. He led the 1980 Philadelphia Eagles to the NFC championship in 1980 and won it all with the St. Louis Rams after the 1999 season.

The Chiefs will have something those teams didn’t, though — a fourth season, and perhaps more, under Vermeil. On New Year’s Day, he told his assistants he had decided to return.

“That was the best New Year’s present I could have gotten,” owner Lamar Hunt said.

Kansas City coach Dick Vermeil, left, and Indianapolis coach Tony Dungy shake hands after the Colts' victory. Vermeil's third season as Chiefs coach ended Sunday in Kansas City, Mo.

Vermeil has not signed a contract extension or said how long he wanted to remain in Kansas City.

But general manager Carl Peterson — a close friend of and former assistant to the coach — said Sunday, “I’m pleased he’s going to be with me the next two years.”

After going 6-10 in 2001 and 8-8 last year, Vermeil guided the 2003 Chiefs to a 13-3 regular-season record and the No. 2 seed in the AFC playoffs.

“I have to step back in my position and look at the larger picture,” Peterson said. “It was a magnificent year, let’s face it. Thirteen wins — I don’t think a lot of people picked us to do that, to win the division and play a home playoff game.”

The Chiefs also are looking forward to a fourth season under Vermeil, defensive end Eric Hicks said.

“It put a lot of people at ease when coach Vermeil said he was going to come back,” Hicks said. “Coach Vermeil will get it right. He’s gotten it right in the past, and he’s the master at motivating people and getting people where they need to be.”

And by the end of his locker-room speech, Hicks said, Vermeil already was motivating the Chiefs for next season.

“He said we’re really not going to let this season end,” Hicks said. “We just need to take a little break, freshen up a little bit, wisen up a little bit, and the season will resume in September.”