Chiefs' Military Appreciation Day holds special meaning for Romeo Crennel

Kansas City Chiefs head coach Romeo Crennel finds special meaning on the upcoming Military Appreciation Day, with Crennel's father, Joseph Crennel, Jr., having spent 26 years in the military as a Master Sergeant. The Chiefs are playing the Cincinnati Bengals at home on Sunday.

Because of his experiences in a military family growing up, Crennel has a personal connection to the men and women they'll be honoring on Sunday.

"One of the things that you learn is every three years you have to move," said Crennel. "You don't have any choice about it. You're being stationed somewhere, and sometimes you get set and you think you're going to be here for three years. Then after a year he gets assigned overseas, and he has to pack up and leave you. Then you're family, they have to kind of make it on their own, so to speak. The mom, she becomes both mom and dad in that situation. I think what kind of support group she has is helpful, and in my case, when dad left, we went home.

"We were around her sisters, her brothers, so we had a support group, she had a support group that was beneficial to her. But there are many military wives who are in places that they don't have that kind of support, so they have to rely on their friendships and the kids have to make new friends and get adjusted and acclimated to new situations, which is not always easy for young kids who are trying to find themselves and figure out who they are. So, you go through all of that, and for me, I think it made me better because I had to adapt to different situations and different people and deal with different people. It made me a little bit more well-rounded I think."

Crennel would continue, noting how important it would be for the Chiefs to get a win at home on a very important day for the coach.

"That would be tremendous," Crennel said. "Particularly with the way this season has gone, if we could go and get this win in front of the military crowd, it would help them feel better, help us feel better. Then it would also show that maybe we're beginning to get this turned around."

The Chiefs, 1-8, have struggled in Crennel's first full season as the head coach in Kansas City. The team has bounced between Matt Cassel and Brady Quinn at quarterback, recently losing to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Monday night in overtime.

The Chiefs will take on the Bengals at 12 p.m. CT, with coverage on CBS.