Cris Dishman
Encyclopedia
Cris Edward Dishman is a former American football
cornerback
who played for the Houston Oilers
, the Kansas City Chiefs
, the Minnesota Vikings
, and the Washington Redskins
during his thirteen year career from 1988 to 2000 in the National Football League
.
at Purdue University
, where he was named to the All-Big Ten
team in 1987. He also ran track for the Boilermakers
, running the 200-meter dash
and 400-meter dash
. He graduated in 1988 with a degree in criminal justice
. Dishman was selected in the 5th round with the 125th pick of the 1988 NFL Draft
by the Houston Oilers. In Dishman's first season with the Oilers, he played 15 of the 16 games, and finished the season without an interception
. However, Dishman did score a touchdown during a game against the Philadelphia Eagles
, when Eugene Seale
blocked a punt
attempt and Dishman ran it into the end zone
. During the 1989 season, he played all 16 games and racked up 4 interceptions. By the end of his first two seasons in the league, he also blocked two punts and a field goal
, along with his special teams touchdown.
In 1990, with the addition of new head coach
Jack Pardee
, Dishman was move to the starting left cornerback position, and finished the season with 4 interceptions. His best season as a pro came during the 1991 NFL season
. During this season, Dishman had a seven game stretch where he forced at least one turnover in each contest. The streak started in week 2 against the Cincinnati Bengals
. On the opening drive, Dishman tackled tight end Rodney Hollman at the goal line, forcing a fumble
on the Bengals' opening drive. The next time the Oilers faced the Bengals during week nine, Dishman picked off a Boomer Esiason
pass to mark the seventh straight game in which he forced a turnover. He ended the season with six interceptions, three fumble recoveries (one of which he returned for a touchdown), and two forced fumbles. This led to him being selected for the 1992 Pro Bowl
, his only Pro Bowl appearance. After the season, he began a holdout, which did not end until September 11, 1992, when he signed a two-year contract. Dishman's production for the 1992 season went down, as he only notched three interceptions for the season.
Dishman's 1993 season, however, started off very productively, with the help of new defensive coordinator
Buddy Ryan
. In the second game of the season against the Chiefs, Dishman had a 58 touchdown run after taking the ball from tight end
Mike Dyal. He finished the 1993 season having tied a career high with six interceptions, forced a career-high four fumbles, and managed an interception in four consecutive games. He notched four interceptions while returning one for a touchdown in 1994, and also managed three during the 1995 season. As a result of his efforts and his contract winding down, Dishman was selected as the franchise player
for the 1996 season. In fact, the $2.5 million he made during the 1996 season was the second highest among cornerbacks behind Rod Woodson
. However, Dishman finished the season with only one pick. After this performance and being frustrated by losses, as well as the move to Nashville
, Dishman filed for free agency
after the 1996 season.
became interested in signing him as an insurance policy should Tom Carter or Darrell Green
sign elsewhere. Carter eventually signed with the Chicago Bears
, and in April Dishman was signed to a four-year contract, with the Oilers not making a counteroffer. He platooned with cornerback Darrell Green to become one of the better duos in the NFL. He finished the season with four interceptions, including bringing one back for a touchdown. As a result, he was named an alternate for the 1998 Pro Bowl
, and was selected to the 1997 All-Madden team. However, after a disappointing 1998 season and subsequent release, he signed with the Kansas City Chiefs after an impressive workout, filling the void left by Dale Carter
. His best game for the Chiefs came on November 28, 1999 against the Oakland Raiders
. In this game, Dishman had two defensive touchdowns, one on an interception, and the other on a fumble. Despite five interceptions on the season, Dishman was released by the Chiefs. During the off-season, he signed with the Minnesota Vikings. After playing eleven games for the Vikings, he was cut, and subsequently retired. His release came three weeks after he was embarrassed on Monday Night Football
by an improbable Antonio Freeman
touchdown catch during overtime
. Dishman raised his arms in victory believing he had broken up the pass, thus allowing Freeman to run untouched into the end zone.
After retiring, Dishman became a football coach
. He started off by taking part in the NFL’s Minority Coaching Fellowship program. During the 2006 Miami Dolphins season
, Dishman spent training camp as a coach for the Dolphins, alongside Eric Green
and Cornell Brown
. Shortly afterward, Dishman became the defensive backs coach for Menlo College
in 2006, and currently holds the position of defensive coordinator, which he was awarded on February 15, 2007. He spent the summer of 2007 again as part of the minority coaching fellowship, this time as a coach for the Oakland Raiders
.
On January 21, 2009, Dishman was hired by the San Diego Chargers
as an assistant defensive backs coach, helping out newly acquired secondary coach Steven Wilks
.
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...
cornerback
Cornerback
A cornerback is a member of the defensive backfield or secondary in American and Canadian football. Cornerbacks cover receivers, to defend against pass offenses and make tackles. Other members of the defensive backfield include the safeties and occasionally linebackers. The cornerback position...
who played for the Houston Oilers
Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans are a professional American football team based in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. They are members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Previously known as the Houston Oilers, the team began play in 1960 as a charter...
, the Kansas City Chiefs
Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. They are a member of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Originally named the Dallas Texans, the club was founded by Lamar Hunt in 1960 as a...
, the Minnesota Vikings
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960...
, and 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,...
during his thirteen year career from 1988 to 2000 in the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
.
Early career
Dishman played college footballCollege football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
at Purdue University
Purdue Boilermakers football
The Purdue Boilermakers football team is the intercollegiate football program of the Purdue University Boilermakers. The program is classified in the NCAA's Division I Bowl Subdivision, and the team competes in the Big Ten Conference. The Boilermakers have an all-time record of...
, where he was named to the All-Big Ten
Big Ten Conference
The Big Ten Conference is the United States' oldest Division I college athletic conference. Its twelve member institutions are located primarily in the Midwestern United States, stretching from Nebraska in the west to Pennsylvania in the east...
team in 1987. He also ran track for the Boilermakers
Purdue Boilermakers
Boilermakers is the official nickname for the intercollegiate athletic teams of Purdue University. As is common with athletic nicknames, it is also used as colloquial designation of Purdue's students and alumni at large....
, running the 200-meter dash
200 metres
A 200 metres race is a sprint running event. On an outdoor 400 m track, the race begins on the curve and ends on the home straight, so a combination of techniques are needed to successfully run the race. A slightly shorter race, called the stadion and run on a straight track, was the first...
and 400-meter dash
400 metres
The 400 metres, or 400 metre dash, is a common sprinting event in track and field competitions. It has been featured in the athletics programme at the Summer Olympics since 1896 . On a standard outdoor running track, it is exactly one lap around the track. Runners start in staggered positions and...
. He graduated in 1988 with a degree in criminal justice
Criminal justice
Criminal Justice is the system of practices and institutions of governments directed at upholding social control, deterring and mitigating crime, or sanctioning those who violate laws with criminal penalties and rehabilitation efforts...
. Dishman was selected in the 5th round with the 125th pick of the 1988 NFL Draft
1988 NFL Draft
The 1988 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 24–25, 1988. The league also held a supplemental draft after the regular draft and...
by the Houston Oilers. In Dishman's first season with the Oilers, he played 15 of the 16 games, and finished the season without an interception
Interception (football)
An interception, intercept or pick is a move in many forms of football, including Canadian and American football, as well as rugby league, rugby union, Australian rules football and Gaelic football, which involves a pass, either by foot or hand, being caught by an opposition player, who usually...
. However, Dishman did score a touchdown during a game against the Philadelphia Eagles
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
, when Eugene Seale
Eugene Seale
Eugene Seale, Jr. is a former professional American football linebacker in the National Football League. He played six seasons for the Houston Oilers ....
blocked a punt
Punt (football)
In some codes of football, a punt is a play in which a player drops the ball and kicks it before it touches the ground. A punt is in contrast to a drop kick, in which the ball touches the ground before being kicked....
attempt and Dishman ran it into the end zone
End zone
In gridiron-based codes of football, the end zone refers to the scoring area on the field. It is the area between the end line and goal line bounded by the sidelines. There are two end zones, each being on an opposite side of the field...
. During the 1989 season, he played all 16 games and racked up 4 interceptions. By the end of his first two seasons in the league, he also blocked two punts and a field goal
Field goal (football)
A field goal in American football and Canadian football is a goal that may be scored during general play . Field goals may be scored by a placekick or the now practically extinct drop kick.The drop kick fell out of favor in 1934 when the shape of the ball was changed...
, along with his special teams touchdown.
In 1990, with the addition of new head coach
Head coach
A head coach, senior coach or manager is a professional at training and developing athletes. They typically hold a more public profile and are paid more than other coaches...
Jack Pardee
Jack Pardee
-NFL:-External links:...
, Dishman was move to the starting left cornerback position, and finished the season with 4 interceptions. His best season as a pro came during the 1991 NFL season
1991 NFL season
The 1991 NFL season was the 72nd regular season of the National Football League. The season ended with Super Bowl XXVI when the Washington Redskins defeated the Buffalo Bills....
. During this season, Dishman had a seven game stretch where he forced at least one turnover in each contest. The streak started in week 2 against 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...
. On the opening drive, Dishman tackled tight end Rodney Hollman at the goal line, forcing a fumble
Fumble
A fumble in American and Canadian football occurs when a player, who has possession and control of the ball loses it before being downed or scoring. By rule, it is any act other than passing, kicking or successful handing that results in loss of player possession...
on the Bengals' opening drive. The next time the Oilers faced the Bengals during week nine, Dishman picked off a Boomer Esiason
Boomer Esiason
Norman Julius "Boomer" Esiason is a former American football quarterback and current network color commentator. He played for the National Football League's Cincinnati Bengals, New York Jets, and Arizona Cardinals before working as an analyst for ABC and HBO...
pass to mark the seventh straight game in which he forced a turnover. He ended the season with six interceptions, three fumble recoveries (one of which he returned for a touchdown), and two forced fumbles. This led to him being selected for the 1992 Pro Bowl
1992 Pro Bowl
The 1992 AFC-NFC Pro Bowl was played on February 2, 1992 at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii. The final Score was NFC 21, AFC 15. Michael Irvin of the Dallas Cowboys was the game's MVP....
, his only Pro Bowl appearance. After the season, he began a holdout, which did not end until September 11, 1992, when he signed a two-year contract. Dishman's production for the 1992 season went down, as he only notched three interceptions for the season.
Dishman's 1993 season, however, started off very productively, with the help of new defensive coordinator
Defensive coordinator
A defensive coordinator typically refers to a coach on a gridiron football team who is in charge of the defense. Generally, along with his offensive counterpart, he represents the second level of command structure after the head coach...
Buddy Ryan
Buddy Ryan
James David "Buddy" Ryan is a former American NFL football coach.-Early years:Ryan was born and reared in a small, agricultural-based community "just outside of Frederick, Oklahoma." Ryan played college football for Oklahoma A&M University where he earned four letters as a guard between 1952 and...
. In the second game of the season against the Chiefs, Dishman had a 58 touchdown run after taking the ball from tight end
Tight end
The tight end is a position in American football on the offense. The tight end is often seen as a hybrid position with the characteristics and roles of both an offensive lineman and a wide receiver. Like offensive linemen, they are usually lined up on the offensive line and are large enough to be...
Mike Dyal. He finished the 1993 season having tied a career high with six interceptions, forced a career-high four fumbles, and managed an interception in four consecutive games. He notched four interceptions while returning one for a touchdown in 1994, and also managed three during the 1995 season. As a result of his efforts and his contract winding down, Dishman was selected as the franchise player
Franchise Tag
In the National Football League, the franchise tag is a designation a team may apply to a player scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent. The tag binds the player to the team for one year if certain conditions are met. Each team has access each year to only one franchise tag and one...
for the 1996 season. In fact, the $2.5 million he made during the 1996 season was the second highest among cornerbacks behind Rod Woodson
Rod Woodson
Roderick Kevin "Rod" Woodson is the current cornerbacks coach for the Oakland Raiders of the National Football League. He is also a former defensive back best known for his 10-year stint with the Pittsburgh Steelers as well as being a key member of the Baltimore Ravens Super Bowl XXXV championship...
. However, Dishman finished the season with only one pick. After this performance and being frustrated by losses, as well as the move to Nashville
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
, Dishman filed for free agency
Free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
after the 1996 season.
Later career
After Dishman was granted free agency, the Washington RedskinsWashington 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,...
became interested in signing him as an insurance policy should Tom Carter or Darrell Green
Darrell Green
Darrell Ray Green is a former American football cornerback in the National Football League who played for the Washington Redskins from 1983 to 2002. He is widely considered to be one of the greatest cornerbacks to ever play football...
sign elsewhere. Carter eventually signed with the Chicago Bears
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
, and in April Dishman was signed to a four-year contract, with the Oilers not making a counteroffer. He platooned with cornerback Darrell Green to become one of the better duos in the NFL. He finished the season with four interceptions, including bringing one back for a touchdown. As a result, he was named an alternate for the 1998 Pro Bowl
1998 Pro Bowl
The 1998 AFC-NFC Pro Bowl was played on February 1, 1998 at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii. The final score was AFC 29, NFC 24. Warren Moon of the Seattle Seahawks, invited to participate because of an injury to John Elway, was the game's MVP. The referee was Gary Lane...
, and was selected to the 1997 All-Madden team. However, after a disappointing 1998 season and subsequent release, he signed with the Kansas City Chiefs after an impressive workout, filling the void left by Dale Carter
Dale Carter
Dale Lavelle Carter is a former American football cornerback who played for the Kansas City Chiefs , Denver Broncos , Minnesota Vikings , New Orleans Saints , and Baltimore Ravens ....
. His best game for the Chiefs came on November 28, 1999 against the Oakland Raiders
Oakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
. In this game, Dishman had two defensive touchdowns, one on an interception, and the other on a fumble. Despite five interceptions on the season, Dishman was released by the Chiefs. During the off-season, he signed with the Minnesota Vikings. After playing eleven games for the Vikings, he was cut, and subsequently retired. His release came three weeks after he was embarrassed 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...
by an improbable Antonio Freeman
Antonio Freeman
Antonio Michael Freeman is a former American football wide receiver in the National Football League, most notably for the Green Bay Packers. He attended the Baltimore Polytechnic Institute, dominating his high school conference. Freeman played college football at Virginia Tech...
touchdown catch during overtime
Overtime (sports)
Overtime or extra time is an additional period of play specified under the rules of a sport to bring a game to a decision and avoid declaring the match a tie or draw. In most sports, this extra period is only played if the game is required to have a clear winner, as in single-elimination...
. Dishman raised his arms in victory believing he had broken up the pass, thus allowing Freeman to run untouched into the end zone.
After retiring, Dishman became a football coach
Coach (sport)
In sports, a coach is an individual involved in the direction, instruction and training of the operations of a sports team or of individual sportspeople.-Staff:...
. He started off by taking part in the NFL’s Minority Coaching Fellowship program. During the 2006 Miami Dolphins season
2006 Miami Dolphins season
The 2006 Miami Dolphins season began with the team trying to improve on their 9–7 record in 2005. Instead, they finished the season 6–10 after being hyped by some to represent the AFC in the Super Bowl, and saw their coach Nick Saban abandon his contract to coach college football for the Alabama...
, Dishman spent training camp as a coach for the Dolphins, alongside Eric Green
Eric Green (tight end)
Bernard Eric Green , is a former professional American football player who was selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 1st round of the 1990 NFL Draft...
and Cornell Brown
Cornell Brown
Cornell Desmond Brown is the outside linebackers and assistant defensive line coach for Virginia Tech, and a former American football linebacker who played for the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League from 1997-2004...
. Shortly afterward, Dishman became the defensive backs coach for Menlo College
Menlo College
Menlo College, often referred to as Menlo, is a private, four-year baccalaureate college specializing in business located in the Silicon Valley town of Atherton, California.-Campus:...
in 2006, and currently holds the position of defensive coordinator, which he was awarded on February 15, 2007. He spent the summer of 2007 again as part of the minority coaching fellowship, this time as a coach for the Oakland Raiders
Oakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
.
On January 21, 2009, Dishman was hired by the San Diego Chargers
San Diego Chargers
The San Diego Chargers are a professional American football team based in San Diego, California. they were members of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
as an assistant defensive backs coach, helping out newly acquired secondary coach Steven Wilks
Steven Wilks
Steven Bernard Wilks is a defensive backs coach, currently with the San Diego Chargers of the National Football League.-Pro career:Wilks played one year in the AFL for the Charlotte Rage.-Coaching career:...
.