They were both born in California, and each have been the head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs during their careers, so it's only natural that Andy Reid and Dick Vermeil have a close relationship.

On Thursday, Vermeil stopped by the team's final minicamp practice as he's in town for Chiefs fantasy camp, which gives 100 fans an exclusive experience with former players and coaches and benefits the University of Kansas Hospital (You can find more information about fantasy camp here).

Reid, along with general manager John Dorsey and President Mark Donovan, spoke to the fantasy campers on Friday afternoon during a panel hosted by "Voice of the Chiefs," Mitch Holthus.

"Listen, every time I'm around Coach [Vermeil], I learn something," Reid explained. "He's been phenomenal within my career. We've kind of followed some of the same paths.

"He's a wealth of knowledge, man. I love the guy."

In his five years leading the Chiefs (2001-05), Vermeil led the Chiefs to 44 regular season wins and orchestrated one of the league's best offenses of the time.

Former Chiefs quarterback Trent Green, who was under center and led those high-powered offenses during the Vermeil years in Kansas City, was also at the Chiefs practice on Thursday and has developed a relationship with Reid as the color analyst for the Chiefs preseason broadcasts.

Reid and Vermeil spoke for a while on Thursday, both before and after practice, which is something Vermeil said he always enjoys as it wasn't the first time.

"I follow Andy really close and I think I know him pretty well," Vermeil explained. "Whenever I get to stand next to him on the practice field, for an old retired coach, it's exciting because he's got so much coaching left in him, and he's doing such a great job and I'm anticipating a great year."

Vermeil first met Reid after he took over the Eagles back in 1999, which was 17 years after Vermeil last coached in Philadelphia.

In the final week of the regular season, Vermeil, who was coaching the St. Louis Rams at the time, faced Reid and his former team in Philadelphia.

The Rams had already secured their playoff position and would ultimately go on to win the Super Bowl that year, but they fell to Reid's Eagles by a score of 38 to 31 that day.

Even though it was some 17 years ago, it's a game and a moment that Vermeil still remembers to this day.

"My relationship with him started then," Vermeil explained, "but when I retired and got into broadcasting, I got to share some dinners and had some meetings in his office. I've been to his training camps and just have a great deal of respect and admiration for the kind of football coach that he is, and even more so for the kind of person that he is."