Post by jones3411 on Jun 20, 2006 19:19:33 GMT -5
This was a question asked under a Head Coach diary so I decided that I would try to help you guys out. So here are some things that I was able to find.
9 HCs actually played in the NFL. ALL of them are in the AFC. Zero in the NFC. Here's the breakdown -- coach by coach!!
Lions. Rod Marinelli. No Pro Experience. Played one year of OT and DT for Utah. Then to Vietnam for a year. Then OT for Cal-Lutheran for 3 years. Then became a coach for his former high school team.
Bears. Lovie Smith. No Pro Experience. LB and then SS for Tulsa – where he later began his coaching career.
Vikings. Ray Childress. No Pro Experience. Briefly played QB and WR for Illinois. Started his coaching career there in 1978 (RB and WR coach).
Packers. Mike McCarthy. No Pro Experience. TE for Baker Univ (?) – and began coaching immediately thereafter for Fort Hays St (?). Then to Univ of Pitt as QB coach.
Giants. Tom Coughlin. No Pro Experience. WR(wingback) for Syracuse in the late 60s. First pro coaching was in 1984 (WRs). Unsure what he did previously (degree was in education).
Redskins. Joe Gibbs. No apparent Pro Experience. Unsure what he played in college. He began his coaching at San Diego St as OL Coach for Coryell in 1964 (as a graduate ass’t).
Cowboys. Bill Parcells. No Pro Experience. Played for Colgate and Wichita then immediately to coaching at Hastings then at Wichita.
Eagles. Andy Reid. No Pro Experience. Played OL for Brigham Young then immediately started coaching there.
Falcons. Jim Mora, Jr. No Pro Experience. Played LB for U of Washington, then started his coaching there before moving to the SD Chargers shortly thereafter.
Panthers. John Fox. No Pro Experience. Played DB for San Diego State then immediately started his coaching career there (rather a common theme!!).
Bucs. John Gruden. No Pro Experience. Played QB for U of Dayton. Began coaching at U of Tennessee the next season, I believe.
Saints. Sean Payton. Arena Football and Canadian Football – briefly. Played QB for Eastern Illinois. Became a coach for San Diego State in 1988 when he was 24.
Seahawks. Mike Holmgren. No Pro Experience. Was drafted by Cardinals in 1970 in Round 8, and went to NY Giants camp as well. Played for USC Trojans. After coaching for his former high school and a couple other high schools, he coached at San Francisco State briefly, then for Brigham Young (QB coach).
Rams. Scott Linehan. No Pro Experience, but was signed as UDFA by Dallas in 1987. QB for Idaho St.
Cardinals. Denny Green. No Pro NFL Experience Canadian Football League – DB briefly. Played RB and Flanker for U of Iowa.
49ers. Mike Nolan. No Pro Experience – got to the Broncos’ training camp in 1981. Played FS for Oregon, where he began his coaching career after fizzling in Denver in 1981.
Sooooo … for the NFC -- NONE of the head coaches played in an NFL game.
Now … for the AFC.
Patriots. Bill Belichick. No Pro Experience. Played TE and Center for Wesleyan Univ. Jumped immediately to the NFL (Colts) at age 23 (ass’t to Marchibroda).
Dolphins. Nick Sabin. No Pro Experience. Played DB for Kent State then immediately started his coaching career there.
Jets. Eric Mangini. No Pro Experience. NT for Wesleyan Univ (see the connection to Belichick?). Jumped directly to the NFL – Belichick’s staff with the Browns.
Bills. Dick Jauron. Ahhhh. He was a DB for our Lions (and Bengals). He was also a punt returner for us, and made the Pro Bowl in 1974. He was a RB for Yale. First coaching job was a couple years after retiring (went to Buffalo back then!).
Steelers. Bill Cowher. LB and special teams for Browns then Eagles (flamed out as UDFA his first year in 1979 with Eagles – but returned there in 1983). LB for NC State prior to going pro. First coaching stint was for Schottenheimer as special teams coach in Cleveland.
Bengals. Marv Lewis. No Pro Experience. LB for Idaho State then immediately began his coaching career there.
Ravens. Brian Billick. No Pro Experience, but drafted by 49ers (cut) in 11th round, then signed by Cowboys following year (cut). First coached at Brigham Young where he’d played TE. Actually started at Air Force as a LB then transferred.
Browns. Romeo Crennel. No Pro Experience. DL for Western Kentucky where he immediately became a coach.
Colts. Tony Dungy. Safety for Steelers and 49ers – just 3 seasons (1977-79). QB for Minnesota Golden Gophers – then was converted to WR then to Safety. Then became an assistant for the Steelers at age 25.
Jaguars. Jack Del Rio. LB played 11 years in the NFL – for the Saints, then KC, Cowboys and Vikings. Pro Bowl in 1994 for Vikings. Played for USC Trojans. Returned to Saints when he started coaching after retiring as a player.
Texans. Gary Kubiak. 9 years as QB for Broncos, after playing for Texas A&M. Went back to A&M to start his coaching career after playing in the NFL.
Titans. Jeff Fisher. DB and punt returner for Bears for 5 years. Played DB at USC Trojans. Began coaching in 1986 (injured in 1985 for Bears in their championship season), with Eagles. Once returned 8 punts in a game vs. our Lions (1981).
Broncos. Mike Shanahan. No Pro Experience. QB for Eastern Illinois until he lost a kidney his junior year. First coaching job was shortly thereafter at Oklahoma (at age 21)
Chiefs. Herman Edwards. DB for 10 years – mostly with Eagles (a bit with Atlanta and Rams his last year). Then began his coaching career at San Jose State.
Chargers. Marty Schottenheimer. LB for 6 years, 4 with Buffalo and 2 with Patriots. Then played for the World Football League after selling real estate for a few years (but was injured that first year). Played LB for U of Pitt. After the WFL, he began coaching directly into the NFL – with the Giants.
Raiders. Art Shell. 15 years with the Raiders as OL – 8 of them as a Pro Bowler. Then he joined the Raiders as OL Coach. He was an OT AND DT for Maryland State (now Maryland – Eastern Shore!!).
9 HCs actually played in the NFL. ALL of them are in the AFC. Zero in the NFC. Here's the breakdown -- coach by coach!!
Lions. Rod Marinelli. No Pro Experience. Played one year of OT and DT for Utah. Then to Vietnam for a year. Then OT for Cal-Lutheran for 3 years. Then became a coach for his former high school team.
Bears. Lovie Smith. No Pro Experience. LB and then SS for Tulsa – where he later began his coaching career.
Vikings. Ray Childress. No Pro Experience. Briefly played QB and WR for Illinois. Started his coaching career there in 1978 (RB and WR coach).
Packers. Mike McCarthy. No Pro Experience. TE for Baker Univ (?) – and began coaching immediately thereafter for Fort Hays St (?). Then to Univ of Pitt as QB coach.
Giants. Tom Coughlin. No Pro Experience. WR(wingback) for Syracuse in the late 60s. First pro coaching was in 1984 (WRs). Unsure what he did previously (degree was in education).
Redskins. Joe Gibbs. No apparent Pro Experience. Unsure what he played in college. He began his coaching at San Diego St as OL Coach for Coryell in 1964 (as a graduate ass’t).
Cowboys. Bill Parcells. No Pro Experience. Played for Colgate and Wichita then immediately to coaching at Hastings then at Wichita.
Eagles. Andy Reid. No Pro Experience. Played OL for Brigham Young then immediately started coaching there.
Falcons. Jim Mora, Jr. No Pro Experience. Played LB for U of Washington, then started his coaching there before moving to the SD Chargers shortly thereafter.
Panthers. John Fox. No Pro Experience. Played DB for San Diego State then immediately started his coaching career there (rather a common theme!!).
Bucs. John Gruden. No Pro Experience. Played QB for U of Dayton. Began coaching at U of Tennessee the next season, I believe.
Saints. Sean Payton. Arena Football and Canadian Football – briefly. Played QB for Eastern Illinois. Became a coach for San Diego State in 1988 when he was 24.
Seahawks. Mike Holmgren. No Pro Experience. Was drafted by Cardinals in 1970 in Round 8, and went to NY Giants camp as well. Played for USC Trojans. After coaching for his former high school and a couple other high schools, he coached at San Francisco State briefly, then for Brigham Young (QB coach).
Rams. Scott Linehan. No Pro Experience, but was signed as UDFA by Dallas in 1987. QB for Idaho St.
Cardinals. Denny Green. No Pro NFL Experience Canadian Football League – DB briefly. Played RB and Flanker for U of Iowa.
49ers. Mike Nolan. No Pro Experience – got to the Broncos’ training camp in 1981. Played FS for Oregon, where he began his coaching career after fizzling in Denver in 1981.
Sooooo … for the NFC -- NONE of the head coaches played in an NFL game.
Now … for the AFC.
Patriots. Bill Belichick. No Pro Experience. Played TE and Center for Wesleyan Univ. Jumped immediately to the NFL (Colts) at age 23 (ass’t to Marchibroda).
Dolphins. Nick Sabin. No Pro Experience. Played DB for Kent State then immediately started his coaching career there.
Jets. Eric Mangini. No Pro Experience. NT for Wesleyan Univ (see the connection to Belichick?). Jumped directly to the NFL – Belichick’s staff with the Browns.
Bills. Dick Jauron. Ahhhh. He was a DB for our Lions (and Bengals). He was also a punt returner for us, and made the Pro Bowl in 1974. He was a RB for Yale. First coaching job was a couple years after retiring (went to Buffalo back then!).
Steelers. Bill Cowher. LB and special teams for Browns then Eagles (flamed out as UDFA his first year in 1979 with Eagles – but returned there in 1983). LB for NC State prior to going pro. First coaching stint was for Schottenheimer as special teams coach in Cleveland.
Bengals. Marv Lewis. No Pro Experience. LB for Idaho State then immediately began his coaching career there.
Ravens. Brian Billick. No Pro Experience, but drafted by 49ers (cut) in 11th round, then signed by Cowboys following year (cut). First coached at Brigham Young where he’d played TE. Actually started at Air Force as a LB then transferred.
Browns. Romeo Crennel. No Pro Experience. DL for Western Kentucky where he immediately became a coach.
Colts. Tony Dungy. Safety for Steelers and 49ers – just 3 seasons (1977-79). QB for Minnesota Golden Gophers – then was converted to WR then to Safety. Then became an assistant for the Steelers at age 25.
Jaguars. Jack Del Rio. LB played 11 years in the NFL – for the Saints, then KC, Cowboys and Vikings. Pro Bowl in 1994 for Vikings. Played for USC Trojans. Returned to Saints when he started coaching after retiring as a player.
Texans. Gary Kubiak. 9 years as QB for Broncos, after playing for Texas A&M. Went back to A&M to start his coaching career after playing in the NFL.
Titans. Jeff Fisher. DB and punt returner for Bears for 5 years. Played DB at USC Trojans. Began coaching in 1986 (injured in 1985 for Bears in their championship season), with Eagles. Once returned 8 punts in a game vs. our Lions (1981).
Broncos. Mike Shanahan. No Pro Experience. QB for Eastern Illinois until he lost a kidney his junior year. First coaching job was shortly thereafter at Oklahoma (at age 21)
Chiefs. Herman Edwards. DB for 10 years – mostly with Eagles (a bit with Atlanta and Rams his last year). Then began his coaching career at San Jose State.
Chargers. Marty Schottenheimer. LB for 6 years, 4 with Buffalo and 2 with Patriots. Then played for the World Football League after selling real estate for a few years (but was injured that first year). Played LB for U of Pitt. After the WFL, he began coaching directly into the NFL – with the Giants.
Raiders. Art Shell. 15 years with the Raiders as OL – 8 of them as a Pro Bowler. Then he joined the Raiders as OL Coach. He was an OT AND DT for Maryland State (now Maryland – Eastern Shore!!).
