Kansas City Chiefs Chairman Clark Hunt today announced that Carl Peterson will step down as President, General Manager and Chief Executive Officer at the end of the 2008 season.

“On behalf of my family and the entire Kansas City Chiefs organization, I want to thank Carl for his two decades of service to the Chiefs,” Hunt said. “Both Carl and I agreed that immediately initiating the search for the next Chiefs General Manager would be the best thing for the future of the organization, and he will be resigning following the 2008 season.”

Peterson joined the Chiefs in 1989, and guided the club through one of the most successful eras in its history. During his 20 years at the helm, the Chiefs amassed a 176-141-1 record, won the AFC West four times and reached the AFC Championship Game in 1993.

Hunt said the search for a new General Manager will begin immediately. Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Denny Thum will serve as the Chiefs interim President and General Manager.

Chiefs fans have to appreciate what Peterson did in the 90s, because he did construct some solid teams. That said, his moves of late have been disastrous and his unwillingness to fix the offensive line over the years has doomed this team’s chances of survival. The Dolphins and Falcons turned their fortunes around in just one season and they did so by first hiring quality football men in the front office (Bill Parcells and Thomas Dimitroff, respectively). The Chiefs can do the same thing, but it all starts with Clark Hunt finding the right GM to rebuild through the draft.