Kansas City, Mo ? Knowing how loyal Dick Vermeil always has been, Greg Robinson made a tough decision easier.

After Kansas City’s embarrassing 38-31 home playoff loss Sunday to Indianapolis, the embattled defensive coordinator offered to resign if Vermeil thought “it would be the right thing for our football team.”

“I told him to think about it,” Robinson said Tuesday at an emotional news conference.

“Well, yesterday afternoon he and I sat down and talked. He told me, ‘Greg, Carol (Vermeil’s wife) and I spent a long time last night talking about it. We believe it is the right thing.'”

And so, Robinson resigned, his voice often quavering as he spoke to reporters. Vermeil stood a few feet away, occasionally wiping away tears.

“What I hoped was that I had unshackled him from all his beautiful loyalties to certain people, individuals, (to think about) what was right for the football team,” Robinson said. “And he did that.”

Robinson, who was fired at Denver after being defensive coordinator on two winning Super Bowl teams, left without taking questions.

Vermeil then followed Robinson to the podium and seemed to take a shot at the media, who have been highly critical of Robinson and his defensive scheme.

“You saw what a real man’s made of,” Vermeil said. “There might be a number of you who don’t come close to understanding what a real man’s all about because you’re not forced into the environment like people in our responsible positions are. But I think he told you the truth as well as he could tell you.”

Robinson had been under fire since last year when the Kansas City defense finished 32nd in the 32-team NFL. After the addition of free agents Vonnie Holliday, Shawn Barber and Dexter McCleon and the return of injured starters Ryan Sims and Jerome Woods, the defense was thought to be improved.

But after a 9-0 start, the same old problems arose. Many players privately complained Robinson’s scheme was too complicated. The offense was No. 1 in scoring and No. 2 in total yards and the Chiefs finished 13-3, but in two of those losses, to Denver and Minnesota in the final five weeks of the year, the defense allowed 45 points.

They were especially vulnerable against the run, giving up more than 5.2 yards per carry, worst in the league. Overall, the defense ranked 29th. Fans booed continually during the loss to the Colts, who scored on six of their first seven possessions and never had to punt.

Kansas City assistant Greg Robinson speaks during a news conference. Robinson resigned as Chiefs defensive coordinator Tuesday in Kansas City, Mo.

“For a while, like Greg, I thought it was going to work,” Vermeil said. “But for one reason or another it didn’t work. And we need to go to another level on defense if we’re ever going to be what we have to be.”

Vermeil said his decision was made at least partially because of the constant media and fan criticism of Robinson.

“The focus of the attention from the media would have been Greg Robinson’s defense. The first scoring drive, it would be because he’s an idiot and can’t coach defense,” Vermeil said.

“That creates doubt in the players. It sends negative messages and gives them reason to find an excuse in some other way. Not that they did very much of that. But the wheel’s spinning downhill and I thought it would be very, very tough for us to battle through it.”

But when asked if the Chiefs’ defensive talent matched their performance, Vermeil said, “I think we all felt, Greg included, that we should have played better.”

Vermeil made clear he was personally sorry to lose Robinson. “I’m proud of him. There are very few guys in this room that have the (courage) to do what he did today, I’ll tell you that.”

Vermeil said two defensive assistants, linebackers coach Joe Vitt and secondary coach Peter Giunta, would be interviewed.

“For us to go 13-3 and lose in the first playoff game is unacceptable. Is Greg taking all the blame? It appears he is. But he really isn’t. It starts with me,” Vermeil said.

Asked what went wrong with the defense despite the personnel upgrade, Vermeil offered few details.

“We had scheme breakdowns. Sometimes they were very simple. Sometimes it was just missed tackles. But the explosive big plays we could not contain. I don’t think we got the kind of play out of our defensive line that we’re capable of getting, for one reason or another. And if it doesn’t happen there, it puts more pressure on other parts of the defense.

“It just wasn’t working.”