Charley Winner
Encyclopedia
Charley Winner was a football coach
whose professional and personal life was closely intertwined with that of Weeb Ewbank, another coach.
Winner was born in Somerville, New Jersey
, and during World War II
flew 17 missions in a B-17 Flying Fortress plane, spending six weeks in a German prisoner of war
camp. Upon his release from the service, he played running back at Washington University in St. Louis
, where Ewbank was head coach. After Ewbank moved on to coach for the Cleveland Browns
, Winner took an assistant position with nearby Case Tech
, and also served as a scout for the Browns. In 1950, he also married Ewbank's daughter.
When Ewbank was hired as head coach of the Baltimore Colts
in 1954, Winner went along and helped the team capture NFL titles in both 1958 and 1959. At the conclusion of the 1962 NFL season
, Ewbank was dismissed, but Winner stayed under new coach Don Shula
from 1963 to 1965.
On February 10, 1966, Winner was hired as head coach of the St. Louis Cardinals
. In five seasons at the helm, Winner managed a 35-30-5 record, but after failing to reach the postseason, was fired on January 6, 1971.
The Cardinals posted winning records in three of Winner's five seasons with the Cardinals, but fell achingly short of the playoffs each time. In 1966, the Cardinals started out 5-0 but lost four of their last five games to finish at 8-5-1 and in fourth place in the NFL East. In 1968, St. Louis finished one-half game behind the Cleveland Browns
(9-4-1 to 10-4) in the NFL Century Division despite sweeping both regular-season meetings with the Browns. In 1970, St. Louis rolled to an 8-2-1 record at the end of November, including three consecutive shutouts over the Houston Oilers (44-0), Boston Patriots
(31-0) and Dallas Cowboys
(38-0 on Monday Night Football
in Dallas). But with the NFC East championship in sight, the Cardinals stumbled in December, losing to the Detroit Lions
, New York Giants
and Washington Redskins
to finish at 8-5-1 and in third place in the division behind Dallas and the Giants.
Winner wasn't out of work long, as he was soon hired by George Allen
of the Washington Redskins
. Winner worked two years for the Redskins, helping them reach the NFL playoffs
during each season and their first Super Bowl
berth ever in 1972. On February 1, 1973, he rejoined Ewbank as an assistant with the Jets and was also designated his successor following the end of the 1973 NFL season
. Winner struggled to achieve success with the Jets, finishing 7-7 in 1974, needing to win the season's final six games to reach the .500 mark. The following year saw the team win only two of the first nine games, a decline that resulted in his dismissal on November 19, three days after a 52-19 loss to the Colts.
Two months later, Winner was hired as an assistant with the Cincinnati Bengals
, spending the next four years with the team before once again being fired following the 1979 NFL season
. Renewing acquaintances with Don Shula in 1981, Winner was hired to serve as player personnel director for the Miami Dolphins
. He spent two years in that role before shifting to pro personnel, performing many of the same duties as a general manager, especially negotiating player contracts. On June 1, 1992, he announced his retirement.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
whose professional and personal life was closely intertwined with that of Weeb Ewbank, another coach.
Winner was born in Somerville, New Jersey
Somerville, New Jersey
Somerville is a borough in Somerset County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 12,098. It is the county seat of Somerset County....
, and during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
flew 17 missions in a B-17 Flying Fortress plane, spending six weeks in a German prisoner of war
Prisoner of war
A prisoner of war or enemy prisoner of war is a person, whether civilian or combatant, who is held in custody by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict...
camp. Upon his release from the service, he played running back at Washington University in St. Louis
Washington University in St. Louis
Washington University in St. Louis is a private research university located in suburban St. Louis, Missouri. Founded in 1853, and named for George Washington, the university has students and faculty from all fifty U.S. states and more than 110 nations...
, where Ewbank was head coach. After Ewbank moved on to coach for the Cleveland Browns
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, Winner took an assistant position with nearby Case Tech
Case Western Reserve University
Case Western Reserve University is a private research university located in Cleveland, Ohio, USA...
, and also served as a scout for the Browns. In 1950, he also married Ewbank's daughter.
When Ewbank was hired as head coach of the Baltimore Colts
Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League ....
in 1954, Winner went along and helped the team capture NFL titles in both 1958 and 1959. At the conclusion of the 1962 NFL season
1962 NFL season
The 1962 NFL season was the 43rd regular season of the National Football League. Before the season, CBS signed a contract with the league to televise all regular-season games for a $4.65 million annual fee....
, Ewbank was dismissed, but Winner stayed under new coach Don Shula
Don Shula
Donald Francis "Don" Shula is a former American football cornerback and coach.He is best known as coach of the Miami Dolphins, the team he led to two Super Bowl victories, and to the National Football League's only perfect season. Shula was named 1993 Sportsman of the Year by Sports Illustrated....
from 1963 to 1965.
On February 10, 1966, Winner was hired as head coach of the St. Louis Cardinals
Arizona Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in Glendale, Arizona, a suburb of Phoenix. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
. In five seasons at the helm, Winner managed a 35-30-5 record, but after failing to reach the postseason, was fired on January 6, 1971.
The Cardinals posted winning records in three of Winner's five seasons with the Cardinals, but fell achingly short of the playoffs each time. In 1966, the Cardinals started out 5-0 but lost four of their last five games to finish at 8-5-1 and in fourth place in the NFL East. In 1968, St. Louis finished one-half game behind the Cleveland Browns
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
(9-4-1 to 10-4) in the NFL Century Division despite sweeping both regular-season meetings with the Browns. In 1970, St. Louis rolled to an 8-2-1 record at the end of November, including three consecutive shutouts over the Houston Oilers (44-0), Boston Patriots
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National...
(31-0) and Dallas Cowboys
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
(38-0 on Monday Night Football
Monday Night Football
Monday Night Football is a live broadcast of the National Football League on ESPN. From to it aired on ABC. Monday Night Football was, along with Hallmark Hall of Fame, and the Walt Disney anthology television series, one of the longest running prime time commercial network television series...
in Dallas). But with the NFC East championship in sight, the Cardinals stumbled in December, losing to the Detroit Lions
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...
, New York Giants
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
and Washington Redskins
Washington Redskins
The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...
to finish at 8-5-1 and in third place in the division behind Dallas and the Giants.
Winner wasn't out of work long, as he was soon hired by George Allen
George Allen (football)
George Herbert Allen was an American football coach in the National Football League and the United States Football League. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2002.-Early life:...
of the Washington Redskins
Washington Redskins
The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...
. Winner worked two years for the Redskins, helping them reach the NFL playoffs
NFL playoffs
The National Football League playoffs are a single-elimination tournament held at the end of the regular season to determine the NFL champion. Six teams from each of the league's two conferences qualify for the playoffs based on regular season records, and a tie-breaking procedure exists in the...
during each season and their first Super Bowl
Super Bowl
The Super Bowl is the championship game of the National Football League , the highest level of professional American football in the United States, culminating a season that begins in the late summer of the previous calendar year. The Super Bowl uses Roman numerals to identify each game, rather...
berth ever in 1972. On February 1, 1973, he rejoined Ewbank as an assistant with the Jets and was also designated his successor following the end of the 1973 NFL season
1973 NFL season
The 1973 NFL season was the 54th regular season of the National Football League. The season featured O.J. Simpson becoming the first man to rush for 2,000 yards in one season...
. Winner struggled to achieve success with the Jets, finishing 7-7 in 1974, needing to win the season's final six games to reach the .500 mark. The following year saw the team win only two of the first nine games, a decline that resulted in his dismissal on November 19, three days after a 52-19 loss to the Colts.
Two months later, Winner was hired as an assistant with the Cincinnati Bengals
Cincinnati Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional football team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the AFC's North Division in the National Football League . The Bengals began play in 1968 as an expansion team in the American Football League , and joined the NFL in 1970 in the AFL-NFL...
, spending the next four years with the team before once again being fired following the 1979 NFL season
1979 NFL season
The 1979 NFL season was the 60th regular season of the National Football League. The season ended with Super Bowl XIV when the Pittsburgh Steelers defeated the Los Angeles Rams...
. Renewing acquaintances with Don Shula in 1981, Winner was hired to serve as player personnel director for the Miami Dolphins
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
. He spent two years in that role before shifting to pro personnel, performing many of the same duties as a general manager, especially negotiating player contracts. On June 1, 1992, he announced his retirement.
Head coaching record
| Team | |Regular Season | STL 1966 St. Louis Cardinals (NFL) season The 1966 St. Louis Cardinals season was the 47th season the team was in the league, and the seventh in St. Louis. The team moved its home games from the old Busch Stadium to the new Busch Stadium in downtown St. Louis, and bettered their 1965 record of 5-9, winning eight games... |
1966 1966 NFL season The 1966 NFL season was the 47th regular season of the National Football League, and the season after which was played Super Bowl I, though it was called the AFL-NFL World Championship Game. The league expanded to 15 teams with the addition of the Atlanta Falcons, thus an odd number of teams... |
8 | 5 | 1 | .615 | 4th in NFL Eastern |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| STL 1967 St. Louis Cardinals (NFL) season The 1967 St. Louis Cardinals season was the team's 46th year with the National Football League and the 6th season in St. Louis.-Schedule:-Standings: -Roster:-References:**... |
1967 1967 NFL season The 1967 NFL season was the 48th regular season of the National Football League. The league expanded to 16 teams with the addition of the New Orleans Saints. The league's teams were realigned into four divisions: the Capitol and Century Divisions in the Eastern Conference, and the Central and... |
6 | 7 | 1 | .462 | 3rd in Century Division | ||
| STL 1968 St. Louis Cardinals (NFL) season The 1968 St. Louis Cardinals season was the 49th season the team was in the league. The team improved on their previous output of 6-7-1, winning nine games. Despite the improvement, they failed to qualify for the playoffs for the 20th consecutive season.... |
1968 1968 NFL season The 1968 NFL season was the 49th regular season of the National Football League. As per the agreement made during the 1967 realignment, the New Orleans Saints and the New York Giants switched divisions; the Saints joined the Century Division while the Giants became part of the Capitol Division.The... |
9 | 4 | 1 | .692 | 2nd in Century Division | ||
| STL 1969 St. Louis Cardinals (NFL) season The 1969 St. Louis Cardinals season was the 50th season the team was in the league. The team failed to improve on their previous output of 9-4-1, winning only four games. They failed to qualify for the playoffs for the 21st consecutive season.-Schedule:... |
1969 | 4 | 9 | 1 | .308 | 3rd in Century Division | ||
| STL 1970 St. Louis Cardinals (NFL) season The 1970 St. Louis Cardinals season was the 51st season the team was in the league. The team improved on their previous output of 4-9-1, winning eight games. Despite them shutting out three consecutive opponents, they failed to reach the playoffs for the 22nd straight... |
1970 1970 NFL season The 1970 NFL season was the 51st regular season of the National Football League, and the first one after the AFL-NFL Merger.The merger forced a realignment between the combined league's clubs. Because there were 16 NFL teams and 10 AFL teams, three teams needed to transfer to balance the two new... |
8 | 5 | 1 | .615 | 3rd in NFC East | ||
| STL Total | 35 | 30 | 5 | |||||
| NYJ 1974 New York Jets season The 1974 New York Jets season was the 15th season for the team and the fifth in the National Football League. It began with the team trying to improve upon its 4–10 record from 1973 under new head coach Charley Winner. The Jets finished with a record of 7–7.... |
1974 1974 NFL season The 1974 NFL season was the 55th regular season of the National Football League. The season ended with Super Bowl IX when the Pittsburgh Steelers defeated the Minnesota Vikings... |
7 | 7 | 0 | .500 | 3rd in AFC East | ||
| NYJ 1975 New York Jets season The 1975 New York Jets season was the 16th season for the team and the sixth in the National Football League. It began with the team trying to improve upon its 7–7 record from 1974 under head coach Charley Winner. The Jets finished with a record of 3–11.... |
1975 1975 NFL season The 1975 NFL season was the 56th regular season of the National Football League. It was also the first time that featured an entire season with no games ending in a tie. The league made two significant changes to increase the appeal of the game:... |
2 | 7 | 0 | .222 | T-4th in AFC East | ||
| NYJ Total | 9 | 14 | 0 | |||||
| Total | 44 | 44 | 5 | |||||