KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Don't expect Kurt Warner to find his next home with the coach that gave him his break in the NFL.

Vermeil, who embraced Warner as his starter in St. Louis after No. 1 quarterback Trent Green injured his knee before the 1999 season, has reluctantly decided not to pursue Warner as a backup for his current team, the Kansas City Chiefs.

"We can't afford to," Vermeil said. "I don't question his ability to play at all. But we have a No. 1 and a No. 2 quarterback and we can't afford to put the money into a No. 3 guy."

With Vermeil as his coach, Warner led the St. Louis Rams to a Super Bowl title after taking over for Green. The two-time MVP also took the Rams to the Super Bowl two years later, after Vermeil had spent a year in retirement and then moved to Kansas City.

-- AP