Dan Reeves
Encyclopedia
Daniel Edward Reeves is a former American football
player and head coach. He has participated in more Super Bowls as player/assistant coach/Head Coach than anyone else. He played in two Super Bowls, Super Bowl V
and Super Bowl VI
and also was an assistant coach in three more, Super Bowl X
, Super Bowl XII
, Super Bowl XIII
, and was Head Coach in four more Super Bowl XXI
, Super Bowl XXII
and Super Bowl XXIV
as the Denver Broncos
' head coach, and Super Bowl XXXIII
as the head coach of the Atlanta Falcons
. He currently works as an analyst for the Westwood One
radio network covering NFL games.
, Georgia
, and grew up in Americus
, Georgia.
He attended Americus High School, where he played football
, baseball
and also made the all-state basketball
team his senior year.
After he missed four games with a broken collarbone during his senior season, only the University of South Carolina
was interested enough to offer him a football
scholarship. The interest from other schools came later, when he won the MVP trophy at the Georgia High School football all-star game, but he decided to stay with his first choice.
, where he played quarterback
from 1962-1964.
He became the first-string quarterback during his sophomore year and was named second-string all-conference after his junior and senior years.
Reeves was more comfortable running than throwing, but was effective enough to set 10 school records and in 1964 against a strong Nebraska
team, champion of the Big Eight, he passed for 348 yards.
Even though he only compiled an 8-21-4 record, he ended his college career as the leading passer in Gamecock history, accumulating 2,561 yards passing, to go along with 16 touchdowns and 3 games with 100 yards rushing.
Reeves also became a very good baseball
prospect, playing as a right fielder for the Gamecocks team.
He was inducted into the school's Athletic Hall of Fame in 1977.
In 2006, he was inducted into the State of South Carolina Athletic Hall of Fame.
in the NFL, the San Diego Chargers
in the AFL
and the Pittsburgh Pirates
in Major League Baseball
.
Reeves signed with the Cowboys as a rookie undrafted free agent in 1965
to play the safety position, but was later moved to halfback
, after a series of injuries depleted the team's depth during training camp.
His rookie year was spent playing mostly in the kickoff
and punt
units.
In 1966
, Tom Landry
looking for more speed at running back
, shifted All-Pro
safety Mel Renfro
to offense. Renfro was hurt in the opening game against the New York Giants
, and Reeves took advantage of his playing opportunity by having a break out season, not only leading the team in rushing with 757 yards, but finishing second in pass receiving with 757 yards and in scoring with 96 points.
He set a Cowboys record with 16 touchdowns (8 rushing and 8 receiving), had over 1300 combined yards, was sixth in the NFL in rushing, first in touchdowns and sixth in scoring.
He was voted to The Sporting News All-Pro
team at the end of the year. Reeves became the NFL's sixth-leading rusher.
Reeves's performance in 1966
helped the Cowboys take some of the running load from fullback Don Perkins
and reach its first championship game.
In 1967
he posted back to back seasons with more than 600 yards and he was the Cowboys second leading rusher with 603 yards and third in receiving with 490 yards. In week 13 against the Philadelphia Eagles
he recorded a touchdown
run, touchdown
reception, and touchdown
pass in the same game. He also set a team record scoring 4 touchdowns in a game against the Atlanta Falcons
.
During the first half of his NFL career, he became a multi-talented player and displayed the ability to consistently make big plays.
He remained a starter until week 4 of the 1968 season
, when he tore his right knee and was lost for the season. That knee injury ended up hampering him for the remainder of his playing career and limiting his abilities.
Because of his injury, Tom Landry
started playing him in spots and asked him to become a player coach, giving more playing time to Calvin Hill
and Duane Thomas
. He did that for 3 years, until the end of the 1972 season
when he retired to become a full time assistant coach.
Reeves played eight seasons with the Dallas Cowboys
, collected 1,990 rushing yards, 1,693 receiving yards and 42 touchdowns. Reeves threw a touchdown pass in the Cowboys' losing effort in the legendary Ice Bowl against the Green Bay Packers
. The Cowboys made the playoffs every year of Reeves's playing days, reaching the Super Bowl twice and culminating in a 24-3 victory over the Miami Dolphins
in Super Bowl VI
following the 1971 season
. In Super Bowl V
with the Cowboys and Colts tied at 13 in the last 2 minutes, Dan Reeves let a pass go through his hands and it was intercepted, setting up the Colts in Dallas territory. The Colts would win the game on a 32-yard field goal
from Jim O'Brien
with 5 seconds left.
Reeves holds the record of most Super Bowl
appearances as a player and or coach with 9.
In 2010, he was inducted into the Texas Sports Hall of Fame
.
, became the youngest head coach
in the NFL when he joined the Denver Broncos in 1981 as Vice President and Head Coach. After acquiring quarterback John Elway
in a trade, Reeves guided the Broncos to six post-season appearances, five divisional titles, three AFC championships and three Super Bowl appearances (Super Bowl XXI, XXII and XXIV) during his 12-year tenure. Reeves was fired after the 1992 season and replaced by his protege and friend Wade Phillips
.
He was the only AFC coach in the decade of the 1980s to lead his team to consecutive Super Bowl berths and his Broncos appeared in the Super Bowl three times during a span of four years.
Reeves served as New York Giants
head coach from 1993-1996. In his first season he led the Giants to an 11–5 record and a berth in the playoffs. Reeves' 1993 season record is the best ever for a first-year Giants coach. Reeves was named the 1993 Associated Press
Coach of the Year after helping the Giants improve from a 6-10 record in 1992. Reeves was fired again after the Giants went 5–11 in 1995 and 6–10 in 1996.
In 1997 Reeves was named the head coach of the Atlanta Falcons. Under his command the team, which had finished the 1996 campaign with a 3–13 record, steadily improved. After going 7-9 his first season, Reeves took Atlanta to the greatest season in franchise history.
The Falcons went 14–2 in 1998, going on to capture their first NFC championship. Reeves coached the Falcons to a 12–2 record before being hospitalized for the final two regular season games to undergo quadruple-bypass heart surgery
in December. Reeves managed to return to the sidelines just three weeks later to lead the Falcons to victory in their first NFC Championship. Reeves' Falcons were pitched against the Denver Broncos and lost Super Bowl XXXIII
34-19. In the process, Reeves earned the NFL's top coaching awards as he was named the 1998 NFL Coach of the Year.
In 2003, after winning just 3 of the first 13 games, Reeves asked to be released and the Falcons replaced him with Wade Phillips as interim coach for 3 games, making it the second time for Reeves to be replaced by Phillips as an NFL head coach. Recently, Reeves has played an active role in the starting of Georgia State University
's football program.
In January 2009, Dan Reeves interviewed with the San Francisco 49ers
for their offensive coordinator job.
After negotiations with the Dallas Cowboys (which, coincidentally, had Phillips as their head coach), Reeves became a consultant for the team in February 2009. This role was short-lived, however, as it only lasted two days before Reeves turned in the keys to his office and hit the road. Reeves and the Cowboys could apparently not reach conclusions as to Reeves' role with the team. In the days following, it was revealed that the dispute came down to a contract clause specifying a number of hours per week to be worked, which Reeves deemed insulting.
Reeves is reportedly interested in returning to coaching for the 2010 season as a part of Chan Gailey
's staff with the Buffalo Bills
.
) for the second Sunday afternoon game on Westwood One
radio network. In addition to his work on the radio broadcast, Dan Reeves also speaks at corporate and football events around the country.
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...
player and head coach. He has participated in more Super Bowls as player/assistant coach/Head Coach than anyone else. He played in two Super Bowls, Super Bowl V
Super Bowl V
Super Bowl V was an American football game played on January 17, 1971, at the Orange Bowl in Miami, Florida, to decide the National Football League champion following the 1970 regular season...
and Super Bowl VI
Super Bowl VI
Super Bowl VI was an American football game played on January 16, 1972, at Tulane Stadium in New Orleans, Louisiana to decide the National Football League champion following the 1971 regular season...
and also was an assistant coach in three more, Super Bowl X
Super Bowl X
Super Bowl X was an American football game played on January 18, 1976 at the Orange Bowl in Miami, Florida to decide the National Football League champion following the 1975 regular season....
, Super Bowl XII
Super Bowl XII
Super Bowl XII was an American football game played on January 15, 1978 at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana to decide the National Football League champion following the 1977 regular season...
, Super Bowl XIII
Super Bowl XIII
Super Bowl XIII was an American football game played on January 21, 1979 at the Orange Bowl in Miami, Florida to decide the National Football League champion following the 1978 regular season...
, and was Head Coach in four more Super Bowl XXI
Super Bowl XXI
Super Bowl XXI was an American football game played on January 25, 1987 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California to decide the National Football League champion following the 1986 regular season. The National Football Conference champion New York Giants won their first Super Bowl by defeating...
, Super Bowl XXII
Super Bowl XXII
Super Bowl XXII was an American football game played on January 31, 1988 at Jack Murphy Stadium in San Diego, California to decide the National Football League champion following the 1987 regular season...
and Super Bowl XXIV
Super Bowl XXIV
Super Bowl XXIV was an American football game played on January 28, 1990 at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana to decide the National Football League champion following the 1989 regular season...
as the Denver Broncos
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
' head coach, and Super Bowl XXXIII
Super Bowl XXXIII
Super Bowl XXXIII was an American football game played on January 31, 1999, at Pro Player Stadium in Miami, Florida to decide the National Football League champion, following the 1998 regular season. The American Football Conference champion Denver Broncos defeated the National Football...
as the head coach of the Atlanta Falcons
Atlanta Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are a member of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
. He currently works as an analyst for the Westwood One
Westwood One
Westwood One was an American radio network and was based in New York City. At one time, it was managed by CBS Radio, the radio arm of CBS Corporation, and Viacom and was later purchased by the private equity firm The Gores Group...
radio network covering NFL games.
Early life
Reeves was born in RomeRome, Georgia
Located in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, Rome is the largest city and the county seat of Floyd County, Georgia, United States. It is the principal city of the Rome, Georgia Metropolitan Statistical Area which encompasses all of Floyd County...
, Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
, and grew up in Americus
Americus, Georgia
-Early years:Americus, Georgia was named and chartered by Sen. Lovett B. Smith in 1832.For its first two decades, Americus was a small courthouse town. The arrival of the railroad in 1854 and, three decades later, local attorney Samuel H. Hawkins' construction of the only privately financed...
, Georgia.
He attended Americus High School, where he played football
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...
, baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
and also made the all-state basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
team his senior year.
After he missed four games with a broken collarbone during his senior season, only the University of South Carolina
University of South Carolina
The University of South Carolina is a public, co-educational research university located in Columbia, South Carolina, United States, with 7 surrounding satellite campuses. Its historic campus covers over in downtown Columbia not far from the South Carolina State House...
was interested enough to offer him a football
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...
scholarship. The interest from other schools came later, when he won the MVP trophy at the Georgia High School football all-star game, but he decided to stay with his first choice.
College career
He attended the University of South CarolinaUniversity of South Carolina
The University of South Carolina is a public, co-educational research university located in Columbia, South Carolina, United States, with 7 surrounding satellite campuses. Its historic campus covers over in downtown Columbia not far from the South Carolina State House...
, where he played quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
from 1962-1964.
He became the first-string quarterback during his sophomore year and was named second-string all-conference after his junior and senior years.
Reeves was more comfortable running than throwing, but was effective enough to set 10 school records and in 1964 against a strong Nebraska
University of Nebraska–Lincoln
The University of Nebraska–Lincoln is a public research university located in the city of Lincoln in the U.S. state of Nebraska...
team, champion of the Big Eight, he passed for 348 yards.
Even though he only compiled an 8-21-4 record, he ended his college career as the leading passer in Gamecock history, accumulating 2,561 yards passing, to go along with 16 touchdowns and 3 games with 100 yards rushing.
Reeves also became a very good baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
prospect, playing as a right fielder for the Gamecocks team.
He was inducted into the school's Athletic Hall of Fame in 1977.
In 2006, he was inducted into the State of South Carolina Athletic Hall of Fame.
Professional career
Although he went undrafted after graduation, he received offers to play professional sports with the Dallas CowboysDallas 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...
in the NFL, 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...
in the AFL
American Football League
The American Football League was a major American Professional Football league that operated from 1960 until 1969, when the established National Football League merged with it. The upstart AFL operated in direct competition with the more established NFL throughout its existence...
and the Pittsburgh Pirates
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...
in Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
.
Reeves signed with the Cowboys as a rookie undrafted free agent in 1965
1965 NFL season
The 1965 NFL season was the 46th regular season of the National Football League.Because the Green Bay Packers and Baltimore Colts ended up tied in the Western Conference standings after the regular season ended, a conference playoff game was held in Green Bay. Although the Packers had defeated the...
to play the safety position, but was later moved to halfback
Halfback (American football)
A halfback, sometimes referred to as a tailback, is an offensive position in American football, which lines up in the backfield and generally is responsible for carrying the ball on run plays. Historically, from the 1870s through the 1950s, the halfback position was both an offensive and defensive...
, after a series of injuries depleted the team's depth during training camp.
His rookie year was spent playing mostly in the kickoff
Kickoff (American football)
A kickoff is a method of starting a drive in American football and Canadian football. Typically, a kickoff consists of one team – the "kicking team" – kicking the ball to the opposing team – the "receiving team"...
and 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....
units.
In 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...
, Tom Landry
Tom Landry
Thomas Wade "Tom" Landry was an American football player and coach. He is ranked as one of the greatest and most innovative coaches in National Football League history, creating many new formations and methods...
looking for more speed at running back
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
, shifted All-Pro
All-Pro
All-Pro is a term mostly used in the NFL for the best players of each position during that season. It began as polls of sportswriters in the early 1920s...
safety Mel Renfro
Mel Renfro
Melvin Lacy "Mel" Renfro is a former American football defensive back in the National Football League who spent his entire fourteen-year career with the Dallas Cowboys.-High school:...
to offense. Renfro was hurt in the opening game against the 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 Reeves took advantage of his playing opportunity by having a break out season, not only leading the team in rushing with 757 yards, but finishing second in pass receiving with 757 yards and in scoring with 96 points.
He set a Cowboys record with 16 touchdowns (8 rushing and 8 receiving), had over 1300 combined yards, was sixth in the NFL in rushing, first in touchdowns and sixth in scoring.
He was voted to The Sporting News All-Pro
All-Pro
All-Pro is a term mostly used in the NFL for the best players of each position during that season. It began as polls of sportswriters in the early 1920s...
team at the end of the year. Reeves became the NFL's sixth-leading rusher.
Reeves's performance in 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...
helped the Cowboys take some of the running load from fullback Don Perkins
Don Perkins
Donald Anthony Perkins is a former American football halfback who spent eight seasons with the NFL's Dallas Cowboys.-Early years:...
and reach its first championship game.
In 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...
he posted back to back seasons with more than 600 yards and he was the Cowboys second leading rusher with 603 yards and third in receiving with 490 yards. In week 13 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...
he recorded a touchdown
Touchdown
A touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone.-Description:...
run, touchdown
Touchdown
A touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone.-Description:...
reception, and touchdown
Touchdown
A touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone.-Description:...
pass in the same game. He also set a team record scoring 4 touchdowns in a game against the Atlanta Falcons
Atlanta Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are a member of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
.
During the first half of his NFL career, he became a multi-talented player and displayed the ability to consistently make big plays.
He remained a starter until week 4 of the 1968 season
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...
, when he tore his right knee and was lost for the season. That knee injury ended up hampering him for the remainder of his playing career and limiting his abilities.
Because of his injury, Tom Landry
Tom Landry
Thomas Wade "Tom" Landry was an American football player and coach. He is ranked as one of the greatest and most innovative coaches in National Football League history, creating many new formations and methods...
started playing him in spots and asked him to become a player coach, giving more playing time to Calvin Hill
Calvin Hill
Calvin G. Hill is a retired American football running back who had a 12-year NFL career from 1969 to 1981. He played for the Dallas Cowboys, Washington Redskins and Cleveland Browns...
and Duane Thomas
Duane Thomas
Duane Julius Thomas is a former American football running back in the National Football League who played four seasons for the Dallas Cowboys, San Diego Chargers and Washington Redskins from 1970 to 1974....
. He did that for 3 years, until the end of the 1972 season
1972 NFL season
The 1972 NFL season was the 53rd regular season of the National Football League. The Miami Dolphins became the first NFL team to finish a championship season undefeated and untied when they beat the Washington Redskins in Super Bowl VII.-Major rule changes:...
when he retired to become a full time assistant coach.
Reeves played eight seasons with the 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...
, collected 1,990 rushing yards, 1,693 receiving yards and 42 touchdowns. Reeves threw a touchdown pass in the Cowboys' losing effort in the legendary Ice Bowl against the Green Bay Packers
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...
. The Cowboys made the playoffs every year of Reeves's playing days, reaching the Super Bowl twice and culminating in a 24-3 victory over 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...
in Super Bowl VI
Super Bowl VI
Super Bowl VI was an American football game played on January 16, 1972, at Tulane Stadium in New Orleans, Louisiana to decide the National Football League champion following the 1971 regular season...
following the 1971 season
1971 NFL season
The 1971 NFL season was the 52nd regular season of the National Football League. The season ended with Super Bowl VI when the Dallas Cowboys defeated the Miami Dolphins...
. In Super Bowl V
Super Bowl V
Super Bowl V was an American football game played on January 17, 1971, at the Orange Bowl in Miami, Florida, to decide the National Football League champion following the 1970 regular season...
with the Cowboys and Colts tied at 13 in the last 2 minutes, Dan Reeves let a pass go through his hands and it was intercepted, setting up the Colts in Dallas territory. The Colts would win the game on a 32-yard 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...
from Jim O'Brien
Jim O'Brien (American football)
Jim O'Brien is a former American football placekicker in the National Football League. He played for the Baltimore Colts from 1970 to 1972 and the Detroit Lions in 1973. He also played wide receiver, catching the bulk of his career passes during the 1972 season while still performing his kicking...
with 5 seconds left.
Reeves holds the record of most 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...
appearances as a player and or coach with 9.
In 2010, he was inducted into the Texas Sports Hall of Fame
Texas Sports Hall of Fame
The Texas Sports Hall of Fame recognizes athletes, coaches, and administrators who have made "lasting fame and honor to Texas sports". It was established in 1951 by the Texas Sports Writers Association. Once it made its first induction in 1951, Texas became the first U.S...
.
Coaching career
Reeves, a protege of Tom LandryTom Landry
Thomas Wade "Tom" Landry was an American football player and coach. He is ranked as one of the greatest and most innovative coaches in National Football League history, creating many new formations and methods...
, became the youngest 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...
in the NFL when he joined the Denver Broncos in 1981 as Vice President and Head Coach. After acquiring quarterback John Elway
John Elway
John Albert Elway, Jr. is a former American football quarterback and currently is the executive vice president of football operations for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League . He played college football at Stanford and his entire professional career with the Denver Broncos...
in a trade, Reeves guided the Broncos to six post-season appearances, five divisional titles, three AFC championships and three Super Bowl appearances (Super Bowl XXI, XXII and XXIV) during his 12-year tenure. Reeves was fired after the 1992 season and replaced by his protege and friend Wade Phillips
Wade Phillips
Wade Allen Phillips is the defensive coordinator for the Houston Texans and former head coach for the National Football League's Dallas Cowboys, Denver Broncos, and Buffalo Bills. He was also an interim head coach for the New Orleans Saints and Atlanta Falcons...
.
He was the only AFC coach in the decade of the 1980s to lead his team to consecutive Super Bowl berths and his Broncos appeared in the Super Bowl three times during a span of four years.
Reeves served as 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...
head coach from 1993-1996. In his first season he led the Giants to an 11–5 record and a berth in the playoffs. Reeves' 1993 season record is the best ever for a first-year Giants coach. Reeves was named the 1993 Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
Coach of the Year after helping the Giants improve from a 6-10 record in 1992. Reeves was fired again after the Giants went 5–11 in 1995 and 6–10 in 1996.
In 1997 Reeves was named the head coach of the Atlanta Falcons. Under his command the team, which had finished the 1996 campaign with a 3–13 record, steadily improved. After going 7-9 his first season, Reeves took Atlanta to the greatest season in franchise history.
The Falcons went 14–2 in 1998, going on to capture their first NFC championship. Reeves coached the Falcons to a 12–2 record before being hospitalized for the final two regular season games to undergo quadruple-bypass heart surgery
Coronary artery bypass surgery
Coronary artery bypass surgery, also coronary artery bypass graft surgery, and colloquially heart bypass or bypass surgery is a surgical procedure performed to relieve angina and reduce the risk of death from coronary artery disease...
in December. Reeves managed to return to the sidelines just three weeks later to lead the Falcons to victory in their first NFC Championship. Reeves' Falcons were pitched against the Denver Broncos and lost Super Bowl XXXIII
Super Bowl XXXIII
Super Bowl XXXIII was an American football game played on January 31, 1999, at Pro Player Stadium in Miami, Florida to decide the National Football League champion, following the 1998 regular season. The American Football Conference champion Denver Broncos defeated the National Football...
34-19. In the process, Reeves earned the NFL's top coaching awards as he was named the 1998 NFL Coach of the Year.
In 2003, after winning just 3 of the first 13 games, Reeves asked to be released and the Falcons replaced him with Wade Phillips as interim coach for 3 games, making it the second time for Reeves to be replaced by Phillips as an NFL head coach. Recently, Reeves has played an active role in the starting of Georgia State University
Georgia State University
Georgia State University is a research university in downtown Atlanta, Georgia, USA. Founded in 1913, it serves about 30,000 students and is one of the University System of Georgia's four research universities...
's football program.
In January 2009, Dan Reeves interviewed with the San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and...
for their offensive coordinator job.
After negotiations with the Dallas Cowboys (which, coincidentally, had Phillips as their head coach), Reeves became a consultant for the team in February 2009. This role was short-lived, however, as it only lasted two days before Reeves turned in the keys to his office and hit the road. Reeves and the Cowboys could apparently not reach conclusions as to Reeves' role with the team. In the days following, it was revealed that the dispute came down to a contract clause specifying a number of hours per week to be worked, which Reeves deemed insulting.
Reeves is reportedly interested in returning to coaching for the 2010 season as a part of Chan Gailey
Chan Gailey
Thomas Chandler "Chan" Gailey, Jr. is an American professional and college football coach. Gailey is the current head coach of the Buffalo Bills of the National Football League ; he was formerly the head coach of the NFL's Dallas Cowboys and the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets college football...
's staff with the Buffalo Bills
Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
.
Head coaching record
| Team | |Regular Season | DEN 1981 Denver Broncos season The 1981 Denver Broncos season was the team's 22nd year in professional football and its 12th with the National Football League.-Staff:-Schedule:-External links:* *... |
1981 1981 NFL season The 1981 NFL season was the 62nd regular season of the National Football League. The season ended with Super Bowl XVI when the San Francisco 49ers defeated the Cincinnati Bengals.-Major rule changes:... |
10 | 6 | 0 | .625 | 2nd in AFC West | - | - | - | - |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DEN 1982 Denver Broncos season The 1982 Denver Broncos season was the team's 23rd year in professional football and its 13th with the National Football League.-Staff:-Schedule:-Standings:-External links:* *... |
1982 1982 NFL season The 1982 NFL season was the 63rd regular season of the National Football League. A 57-day long players' strike reduced the 1982 season from a 16-game schedule per team to an abbreviated nine game schedule... |
2 | 7 | 0 | .222 | 5th in AFC West | - | - | - | - | ||
| DEN 1983 Denver Broncos season The 1983 Denver Broncos season was the team's 24th year in professional football and its 14th with the National Football League. The franchise experienced a turning point as it traded for quarterback John Elway.-Staff:-Schedule:-Playoffs:... |
1983 1983 NFL season The 1983 NFL season was the 64th regular season of the National Football League. The season ended with Super Bowl XVIII when the Los Angeles Raiders defeated the Washington Redskins.-Major rule changes:... |
9 | 7 | 0 | .563 | 2nd in AFC West | 0 | 1 | .000 | Lost to Seattle Seahawks Seattle Seahawks The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle, Washington. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team joined the NFL in 1976 as an expansion team... in AFC Wild Card Game NFL playoffs, 1983-84 The NFL playoffs following the 1983 NFL season led up to Super Bowl XVIII.Due to Christmas, the two wild card playoff games were played in a span of three days.... . |
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| DEN 1984 Denver Broncos season The 1984 Denver Broncos season was the team's 25th year in professional football and its 15th with the National Football League. The team finished with its then franchise best record of thirteen wins and three losses and were champions of the AFC West... |
1984 1984 NFL season The 1984 NFL season was the 65th regular season of the National Football League. The Colts relocated from Baltimore, Maryland to Indianapolis, Indiana.... |
13 | 3 | 0 | .813 | 1st in AFC West | 0 | 1 | .000 | Lost to Pittsburgh Steelers Pittsburgh Steelers The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC... in AFC Divisional Game NFL playoffs, 1984-85 The NFL playoffs following the 1984 NFL season led up to Super Bowl XIX.The two wild card games were held on different days because both venues were in the Pacific Standard Time Zone. The NFL did not schedule prime time playoff games on the east coast until 2002. Normally, playoff games started at... . |
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| DEN 1985 Denver Broncos season -Schedule:-Standings:-External links:* *... |
1985 1985 NFL season The 1985 NFL season was the 66th regular season of the National Football League. The season ended with Super Bowl XX when the Chicago Bears defeated the New England Patriots.-Major rule changes:... |
11 | 5 | 0 | .688 | 2nd in AFC West | - | - | - | - | ||
| DEN 1986 Denver Broncos season -Regular season:The Broncos won their first six games of the season, before being felled by the then-5-1 New York Jets on Monday Night Football. They won two more games to improve to 8–1, tied with the Jets for the best record in the league... |
1986 1986 NFL season The 1986 NFL season was the 67th regular season of the National Football League. The season ended with Super Bowl XXI when the New York Giants defeated the Denver Broncos to win their first league title in 30 years.-Major rule changes:... |
11 | 5 | 0 | .688 | 1st in AFC West | 2 | 1 | .667 | Lost to 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... in Super Bowl XXI Super Bowl XXI Super Bowl XXI was an American football game played on January 25, 1987 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California to decide the National Football League champion following the 1986 regular season. The National Football Conference champion New York Giants won their first Super Bowl by defeating... . |
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| DEN 1987 Denver Broncos season -Schedule:-Playoffs:-External links:* *... |
1987 1987 NFL season The 1987 NFL season was the 68th regular season of the National Football League. A 24-day players' strike reduced the 16-game season to 15. The games that were scheduled for the third week of the season were canceled, but the games for weeks 4–6 were played with replacement players... |
10 | 4 | 1 | .714 | 1st in AFC West | 2 | 1 | .667 | Lost to 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,... in Super Bowl XXII Super Bowl XXII Super Bowl XXII was an American football game played on January 31, 1988 at Jack Murphy Stadium in San Diego, California to decide the National Football League champion following the 1987 regular season... . |
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| DEN 1988 Denver Broncos season -Schedule:-Standings:-External links:* *... |
1988 1988 NFL season The 1988 NFL season was the 69th regular season of the National Football League. The Cardinals relocated from St. Louis, Missouri to the Phoenix, Arizona area becoming the Phoenix Cardinals but remained in the NFC East division.... |
8 | 8 | 0 | .500 | 2nd in AFC West | - | - | - | - | ||
| DEN 1989 Denver Broncos season -Regular season:One of Denver's new major additions was rookie running back Bobby Humphrey, who rushed for 1,151 yards, caught 22 passes for 156 yards, and scored 8 touchdowns. Humphrey gave the Broncos a powerful running attack that they lacked in their previous Super Bowl seasons. The defense had... |
1989 1989 NFL season The 1989 NFL season was the 70th regular season of the National Football League. Before the season, NFL commissioner Pete Rozelle announced his retirement... |
11 | 5 | 0 | .688 | 1st in AFC West | 2 | 1 | .667 | Lost to San Francisco 49ers San Francisco 49ers The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and... in Super Bowl XXIV Super Bowl XXIV Super Bowl XXIV was an American football game played on January 28, 1990 at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana to decide the National Football League champion following the 1989 regular season... . |
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| DEN 1990 Denver Broncos season -Schedule:-External links:* *... |
1990 1990 NFL season The 1990 NFL season was the 71st regular season of the National Football League. To increase revenue, the league changed the regular season so that all NFL teams would play their 16-game schedule over a 17-week period... |
5 | 11 | 0 | .313 | 5th in AFC West | - | - | - | - | ||
| DEN 1991 Denver Broncos season -Schedule:-AFC Championship Game:Buffalo relied on missed field goals by Denver and some key plays from their defense to narrowly defeat the Broncos in a tough defensive struggle. Although the first half was scoreless, the Broncos advanced into Buffalo territory on all five of their possessions in... |
1991 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.... |
12 | 4 | 0 | .750 | 1st in AFC West | 1 | 1 | .500 | Lost to Buffalo Bills Buffalo Bills The Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... in AFC Championship Game NFL playoffs, 1991-92 The NFL playoffs following the 1991 NFL season led up to Super Bowl XXVI.-Bracket:-AFC: Kansas City Chiefs 10, Los Angeles Raiders 6:Chiefs Quarterback Steve DeBerg completed a play-action 11-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Fred Jones in the second quarter, which was the difference in K.C.'s... . |
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| DEN 1992 Denver Broncos season The 1992 Denver Broncos season was the team's 33rd year in professional football and its 23rd with the National Football League.-Staff:-Schedule:-External links:* *... |
1992 1992 NFL season The 1992 NFL season was the 73rd regular season of the National Football League.Due to the damage caused by Hurricane Andrew, the New England Patriots–Miami Dolphins game that was scheduled for September 6 at Joe Robbie Stadium was rescheduled to October 18. Both teams originally had that... |
8 | 8 | 0 | .500 | 3rd in AFC West | - | - | - | - | ||
| DEN Total | 110 | 73 | 1 | .601 | 7 | 6 | .538 | |||||
| NYG 1993 New York Giants season The 1993 New York Giants season was the 69th season for the club in the National Football League. Following the 1992 season, Ray Handley was replaced by former Broncos coach Dan Reeves, who immediately released Jeff Hostetler and named Phil Simms the team's starting quarterback.-NFL... |
1993 1993 NFL season The 1993 NFL season was the 74th regular season of the National Football League. For the first time in league history, all NFL teams played their 16-game schedule over a span of 18 weeks. After the success of expanding the regular season to a period of 17 weeks in 1990, the league hoped this new... |
11 | 5 | 0 | .688 | 2nd in NFC East | 1 | 1 | .500 | Lost to San Francisco 49ers San Francisco 49ers The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and... in NFC Divisional Game NFL playoffs, 1993-94 The NFL playoffs following the 1993 NFL season led up to Super Bowl XXVIII. Since the 1993 regular season was conducted over 18 weeks , the traditional bye week between the conference championship games and the Super Bowl was removed.-Bracket:... . |
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| NYG 1994 New York Giants season -Schedule:-References:... |
1994 1994 NFL season The 1994 NFL season was the 75th regular season of the National Football League. To honor the NFL's 75th season, a special anniversary logo was designed and each player wore a patch on their jerseys with this logo throughout the season... |
9 | 7 | 0 | .563 | 2nd in NFC East | - | - | - | - | ||
| NYG 1995 New York Giants season The 1995 New York Giants season was the 71st season for the club in the National Football League. The Giants finished in fourth place in the National Football Conference East Division with a 5–11 record.-NFL Draft:-Staff:-Schedule:-References:... |
1995 1995 NFL season The 1995 NFL season was the 76th regular season of the National Football League. The league expanded to 30 teams with the addition of the Carolina Panthers and the Jacksonville Jaguars... |
5 | 11 | 0 | .313 | 4th in NFC East | - | - | - | - | ||
| NYG 1996 New York Giants season The 1996 New York Giants season was the 72nd season for the club in the National Football League. With a 6–10 record, the Giants finished in last place in the National Football Conference East Division.-NFL Draft:-Staff:-Schedule:-References:... |
1996 1996 NFL season The 1996 NFL season was the 77th regular season of the National Football League and the season was marked by notable controversies from beginning to end... |
6 | 10 | 0 | .375 | 5th in NFC East | - | - | - | - | ||
| NYG Total | 31 | 33 | 0 | .484 | 1 | 1 | .500 | |||||
| ATL 1997 Atlanta Falcons season -Schedule:-References:* *... |
1997 1997 NFL season The 1997 NFL season was the 78th regular season of the National Football League. The Oilers relocated from Houston, Texas to Nashville, Tennessee... |
7 | 9 | 0 | .438 | 2nd in NFC West | - | - | - | - | ||
| ATL 1998 Atlanta Falcons season The 1998 Atlanta Falcons season saw the Falcons qualify for the Super Bowl for the first time under the guidance of second-year head coach Dan Reeves. The team won its final nine games of the season to earn the #2 seed in the NFC for the playoffs and the first-week bye... |
1998 1998 NFL season The 1998 NFL season was the 79th regular season of the National Football League.The Tennessee Oilers moved their home games from Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium in Memphis to Vanderbilt Stadium in Nashville, still awaiting construction on a new stadium in Nashville.This was the first season that CBS... |
14 | 2 | 0 | .875 | 1st in NFC West | 2 | 1 | .667 | Lost to Denver Broncos Denver Broncos The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... in Super Bowl XXXIII Super Bowl XXXIII Super Bowl XXXIII was an American football game played on January 31, 1999, at Pro Player Stadium in Miami, Florida to decide the National Football League champion, following the 1998 regular season. The American Football Conference champion Denver Broncos defeated the National Football... . |
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| ATL 1999 Atlanta Falcons season The 1999 Atlanta Falcons season was the team's 34th in the National Football League. The Falcons were unable to match their previous season's output of 14–2, failed to reach the playoffs and therefore would not be the first team to host and play in the Super Bowl.-NFL Draft:1999 Draft class1 30... |
1999 1999 NFL season The 1999 NFL season was the 80th regular season of the National Football League. The Cleveland Browns returned to the field for the first time since the 1995 season... |
5 | 11 | 0 | .313 | 3rd in NFC West | - | - | - | - | ||
| ATL 2000 Atlanta Falcons season The 2000 Atlanta Falcons season was the Falcons 35th season. The Falcons offense scored 252 points while the defense gave up 413 points.-NFL Draft:-Staff:-Preseason:-Schedule:-Awards and records:... |
2000 2000 NFL season The 2000 NFL season was the 81st regular season of the National Football League. The season ended with Super Bowl XXXV when the Baltimore Ravens defeated the New York Giants.Week 1 of the season reverted to Labor Day weekend in 2000... |
4 | 12 | 0 | .250 | 5th in NFC West | - | - | - | - | ||
| ATL 2001 Atlanta Falcons season The 2001 Atlanta Falcons season was the Falcons 36th season. The Falcons obtained the first pick overall in the 2001 NFL Draft. With the pick, the Falcons drafted Michael Vick.-Offseason:... |
2001 2001 NFL season The 2001 NFL season was the 82nd regular season of the National Football League.Following a pattern set in 1999, the first week of the season was permanently moved to the weekend following Labor Day... |
7 | 9 | 0 | .438 | 3rd in NFC South | - | - | - | - | ||
| ATL 2002 Atlanta Falcons season The 2002 Atlanta Falcons season was their 37th in the league. The team improved upon their previous season's output of 7-9 and qualified for the playoffs for the first time in four years. The team was also involved in a rare tie, matching the Pittsburgh Steelers 34-34 at the end of overtime... |
2002 2002 NFL season The 2002 NFL season was the 83rd regular season of the National Football League.The league went back to an even number of teams, expanding to 32 teams with the addition of the Houston Texans. The clubs were then realigned into eight divisions, four teams in each... |
9 | 6 | 1 | .594 | 2nd in NFC South | 1 | 1 | .500 | Lost to 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... in NFC Divisional Game NFL playoffs, 2002-03 The 2002-03 NFL playoffs followed the 2002 NFL season and concluded with Super Bowl XXXVII.Prior to the 2002-03 season, the league realigned its teams into eight divisions . Thus, the 12-team playoff format was modified... . |
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| ATL 2003 Atlanta Falcons season The 2003 Atlanta Falcons season is best remembered for in the 3rd preseason game, the QB Michael Vick broke his leg and was done for most of the season. Atlanta had 2 other QBs take over for a combined 2-10 record. Vick returned in week 14 and ended the season with a 3-1 record.-NFL... |
2003 2003 NFL season -Milestones:The following teams and players set all-time NFL records during the season:-Team:-Individual:-Awards:-External Links:**-References:*NFL Record and Fact Book *... |
3 | 10 | 0 | .231 | 4th in NFC South | - | - | - | - | ||
| ATL Total | 49 | 59 | 1 | .454 | 3 | 2 | .600 | |||||
| Total | 190 | 165 | 2 | .535 | 11 | 9 | .550 | |||||
Broadcast career
Reeves currently covers NFL games as a color analyst (teamed with play-by-play man Bill RosinskiBill Rosinski
Bill Rosinski is an American sportscaster and talk show host, operating primarily out of Charlotte, North Carolina.Rosinski currently works for ESPN Radio as its lead college football and college basketball commentator, as well as for ISP Sports calling ACC sports...
) for the second Sunday afternoon game on Westwood One
Westwood One
Westwood One was an American radio network and was based in New York City. At one time, it was managed by CBS Radio, the radio arm of CBS Corporation, and Viacom and was later purchased by the private equity firm The Gores Group...
radio network. In addition to his work on the radio broadcast, Dan Reeves also speaks at corporate and football events around the country.
See also
- History of the New York Giants (1979-1993)
- History of the New York Giants (1994-present)
External links
- Dan Reeves Official Website
- Sports Illustrated Almost Too Good To Play
- University of South Carolina Athletic Hall of Fame Page
- Database Football player page
- Pro Football Reference coach page
- Dan Reeves profile
- United Methodist Church profile
- Reeves Comments Rekindle Feud with Elway, Shanahan (1/24/1998)
- ESPN “Sunday Conversation” with Reeves (1/19/1999)
- Reeves Beats Owner to the Punch (12/11/2003)
- NFLlegend to speak at island events (Article on Reeves and his Christian faith) (6/14/2006)
- Dan Reeves Hired as Football Consultant at Georgia State (4/11/2007)
Further reading
- Reeves: An Autobiography, by Dan Reeves and Dick Connor (1998) ISBN 9780933893641.