NEW YORK (Reuters) - Former Cleveland Browns head coach Romeo Crennel returned to the NFL after a year-long break when he was officially appointed defensive coordinator with the Kansas City Chiefs on Thursday.
Crennel, who was sacked by the Browns in December 2008 after going 24-40 during four seasons with Cleveland, spent last year recovering from hip replacement surgery.
"I'm excited to be here at Kansas City," Crennel said during a joint conference call with Chiefs head coach Todd Haley. "I was able to take a breath last year.
"That breath has filled my lungs, my enthusiasm is up, my energy is up," he added. "My hip, there's no pain in it, so I feel really good about being able to come in and trying to help build this program."
Asked if he had any desire to serve again as a head coach in the NFL, Crennel replied: "That is why many of us coaches are in this business, to get to the highest level possible.
"Being a head coach is the highest level and if that opportunity came along again, I would definitely consider that.
"At the present time, the opportunity is to be the defensive coordinator for the Chiefs and that is what I am putting all of my energy into."
Crennel was defensive coordinator of the New England Patriots between 2001 and 2004, helping the Pats to three Superbowl wins.
(Writing by Mark Lamport-Stokes in Los Angeles; Editing by Nick Mulvenney)
