KC Reporter

On October 29, 2025, the Kansas City Chiefs named Michael Franklin of Knob Noster High School (Missouri) and Jon Wiemers of Olathe West High School (Kansas) as their Week 9 Coaches of the Week for the 2025 season. The award recognizes high school football coaches in the Kansas City area for their achievements on the field and leadership off it.

Both recipients will receive a $500 grant from the Hunt Family Foundation, a Chiefs bucket hat, a certificate of recognition, and a custom game ball. They are also eligible for the Eric Driskell Coach of the Year Award, which is decided at the end of the regular season by a panel from both Missouri and Kansas Boards of the Greater Kansas City Football Coaches Association.

Knob Noster finished its regular season with an 8-1 record after defeating Holden Eagles 28-14 on October 24. The Panthers scored all four touchdowns via rushing plays and accumulated 133 yards on 37 carries. With this win, they advance to the MSHSAA Class 3 Playoffs and will host their first playoff game on November 7.

"Winning coach of the week is an incredible honor that reflects the hard work, dedication, and unity of our entire football program," Franklin said. "Our players and incredible staff deserve all the recognition for coming together to build something special."

Franklin has led Knob Noster since joining ahead of the 2022-23 season, achieving a record of 26-14. Before this role, he coached at Smith-Cotton High School in Sedalia for nine years and played defensive back at Missouri Valley College before graduating in 2010.

Olathe West secured a victory over Olathe Northwest with a score of 38-27 on October 24, finishing their regular season at 7-1—the best under Wiemers’ leadership. The team recorded three passing touchdowns and two rushing scores while holding their opponent to just over one hundred passing yards. Olathe West enters the KSHSAA Class 6A Playoffs as top seed and will play Shawnee Mission North next.

"Anything that comes from the Kansas City Chiefs organization is awesome," Wiemers said. "They are the standard for what a successful football organization looks like. I am honored. It means a lot to me because it validates the work our players and coaches have done to get to where we are right now."

Wiemers is in his third year coaching Olathe West after previously leading Arkansas City during two separate periods, including guiding them to a district title in 2012 and second place in state finals in 2020. He also spent four seasons at Southeastern Missouri University in various coaching roles.

The High School Coach of the Week program has been running for twenty-nine years as part of an effort between the Kansas City Chiefs and National Football League to highlight coaches who make significant contributions not only through athletic success but also by supporting student-athletes’ development beyond sports.

The selection process involves PrepsKC, which serves as Kansas City's main multimedia outlet covering high school football through its website, magazine, and radio show for sixteen years. More information about PrepsKC can be found at www.prepskc.com.