Jack Faulkner
Encyclopedia
Jack Faulkner was an American football
coach and administrator who most prominently served as head coach of the American Football League
's Denver Broncos
from 1962 to 1964. He also has been an integral part of the St. Louis Rams
organization, dating back to the team's days in Los Angeles
.
, then married Betty Lou Mackey in 1946. Playing the first of two seasons at linebacker for Miami University
under head coach Sid Gillman
proved to be a boon to Faulkner's future. When Gillman was hired as head coach at the University of Cincinnati
in 1949, he brought Faulkner along and spent the next six seasons in that position with the Bearcats.
In January 1955, Gillman moved into the professional ranks when he was hired as head coach of the Los Angeles Rams
, with the mentor again asking Faulkner to join him. The pair spent five years trying to return the team to its early success in the decade and reached the NFL Championship game in their first year. However, by 1959, the team had slumped to a 2-10 record, with Gillman announcing his resignation at the end of the season.
When Gillman accepted the head coaching reins of the fledgling Los Angeles Chargers
of the AFL
on January 7, 1960, he hired Faulkner two weeks later. The team won two conference championships, but fell short in both title games against the Houston Oilers
. Faulkner's defense in 1961 was outstanding, with the Chargers (who now resided in San Diego) intercepting a professional record 49 opposing passes.
After starting the season with a 6-1 record, the team collapsed by going in reverse during the second half of the season and finishing with a 7-7 record. Despite the slide, Faulkner was named AFL
Coach of the Year
.
That signing would be one of the last positive developments for Faulkner in Denver as he started to reshape the roster, getting rid of many of the team's veterans, including quarterback Frank Tripucka
. These moves would prove disastrous when the team, lacking a consistent signal caller, dropped to 2-11-1 on the year. The frustration of the campaign exploded in the season finale on December 22 when Gillman's powerhouse Chargers defeated Denver 58-20. Faulkner accused his good friend of running up the score, with San Diego scoring a touchdown in the final minute, then going for two points before trying an onside kick with six seconds left. Though the controversy put a strain on the two coaches' friendship for a brief time their lifelong comraderie was never questioned.
When the team lost their first four games in the 1964 season, Faulkner was fired on October 4, 1964, and replaced by Mac Speedie
, with his final record at 10-21-1. However, following the 6-1 start two years earlier, Faulkner's team had managed only a 4-20-1 mark. Unfortunately the Broncos never would achieve real success until a decade or more later with another rookie head coach at the helm, Red Miller, who led them to their very first playoff appearance.
under Norm Van Brocklin
, who had played quarterback with the Rams during Faulkner's tenure. The changing Northern climate had a major effect on the allergies of Faulkner's three-year-old son Jon, forcing him to resign after just one season before accepting a scouting position with the Rams.
After one season in that capacity, Faulkner went back to coaching as defensive backs assistant with the expansion New Orleans Saints
under another former Ram, Tom Fears
. After one year, Faulkner was promoted to defensive coordinator, but the continuing futility of the team resulted in Fears' dismissal midway through the 1970 NFL season
. By that time, Faulkner had shifted to the team's front office, serving as player personnel director after the rigors of coaching had resulted in an ulcer. Before leaving the Saints for greener pastures once again in Los Angeles, Faulkner's last act with the Saints was to sign to the team a new quarterback whose last name still resonates in the NFL, Archie Manning.
On March 16, 1971, Faulkner joined the Rams for a third time, again becoming a scout for the team. Upon the arrival of new head coach Chuck Knox
and long time friend two years later, Faulkner moved back into the coaching ranks again, serving seven seasons as the team's defensive line coach. During this stretch, the team played in five NFC Championship game
s, finally winning the 1979 contest to compete in Super Bowl XIV
.
Following that appearance, Faulkner left the coaching ranks for good and became the team's assistant general manager. That position quickly evolved into Director of Football Operations which allowed him to best use his talents as a renowned evaluator of football talent. He served in that capacity up through the late 1990s when his title evolved into Director of Pro Personnel responsible for evaluating the teams opponents and devising the weekly game plans with the coaching staff.
When the franchise shifted to St. Louis
following the 1994 NFL season
, Faulkner was one of the few staff members to stay in California
. With Rams offices still based in Los Angeles he continued his work with the team all the way up to his passing in 2008.
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...
coach and administrator who most prominently served as head coach of the American Football League
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...
's 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...
from 1962 to 1964. He also has been an integral part of the St. Louis Rams
St. Louis Rams
The St. Louis Rams are a professional American football team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are currently members of the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Rams have won three NFL Championships .The Rams began playing in 1936 in Cleveland,...
organization, dating back to the team's days in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
.
Early career
Faulkner served in the U.S. Marine Corps during World War IIWorld 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...
, then married Betty Lou Mackey in 1946. Playing the first of two seasons at linebacker for Miami University
Miami University
Miami University is a coeducational public research university located in Oxford, Ohio, United States. Founded in 1809, it is the 10th oldest public university in the United States and the second oldest university in Ohio, founded four years after Ohio University. In its 2012 edition, U.S...
under head coach Sid Gillman
Sid Gillman
Sidney "Sid" Gillman was an American football player, coach, executive, and innovator. Gillman's insistence on stretching the football field by throwing deep downfield passes, instead of short passes to running backs or wide receivers at the sides of the line of scrimmage, was instrumental in...
proved to be a boon to Faulkner's future. When Gillman was hired as head coach at the University of Cincinnati
University of Cincinnati
The University of Cincinnati is a comprehensive public research university in Cincinnati, Ohio, and a part of the University System of Ohio....
in 1949, he brought Faulkner along and spent the next six seasons in that position with the Bearcats.
In January 1955, Gillman moved into the professional ranks when he was hired as head coach of the Los Angeles Rams
St. Louis Rams
The St. Louis Rams are a professional American football team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are currently members of the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Rams have won three NFL Championships .The Rams began playing in 1936 in Cleveland,...
, with the mentor again asking Faulkner to join him. The pair spent five years trying to return the team to its early success in the decade and reached the NFL Championship game in their first year. However, by 1959, the team had slumped to a 2-10 record, with Gillman announcing his resignation at the end of the season.
When Gillman accepted the head coaching reins of the fledgling Los Angeles 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...
of 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...
on January 7, 1960, he hired Faulkner two weeks later. The team won two conference championships, but fell short in both title games against 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...
. Faulkner's defense in 1961 was outstanding, with the Chargers (who now resided in San Diego) intercepting a professional record 49 opposing passes.
Broncos Head Coach
That success resulted in Faulkner being hired as head coach of the Broncos on February 1, 1962. He then added the title of general manager when Dean Griffing was fired five months later, and after Faulkner took over, the team made two prominent efforts to change its image. The first involved switching the team's colors from its original brown and gold to the fondly remembered orange, blue and white, while the latter involved the public burning of the team's vertically striped socks in July. The socks had been roundly criticized and remain a part of dubious lore in professional football history. In later years, to commemorate the team's history, Faulkner sent one of the only socks left that was saved from the fire to the Pro Football Hame of FameAfter starting the season with a 6-1 record, the team collapsed by going in reverse during the second half of the season and finishing with a 7-7 record. Despite the slide, Faulkner was named 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...
Coach of the Year
NFL Coach of the Year Award
The National Football League Coach of the Year Award is presented annually by various news and sports organizations to the NFL head coach who has done the most outstanding job of working with the talent he has at his disposal. Currently, the most widely recognized award is presented by the...
.
That signing would be one of the last positive developments for Faulkner in Denver as he started to reshape the roster, getting rid of many of the team's veterans, including quarterback Frank Tripucka
Frank Tripucka
Francis Joseph Tripucka is a former American collegiate and Professional Football quarterback, at Notre Dame, in the National Football League, in the Canadian Football League, and in the early American Football League.-Notre Dame Fighting Irish:Tripucka was backup quarterback to Heisman Trophy...
. These moves would prove disastrous when the team, lacking a consistent signal caller, dropped to 2-11-1 on the year. The frustration of the campaign exploded in the season finale on December 22 when Gillman's powerhouse Chargers defeated Denver 58-20. Faulkner accused his good friend of running up the score, with San Diego scoring a touchdown in the final minute, then going for two points before trying an onside kick with six seconds left. Though the controversy put a strain on the two coaches' friendship for a brief time their lifelong comraderie was never questioned.
When the team lost their first four games in the 1964 season, Faulkner was fired on October 4, 1964, and replaced by Mac Speedie
Mac Speedie
Mac Speedie was a football player who starred as a wide receiver for the Cleveland Browns in both the All-America Football Conference and National Football League for seven years, and later served for two years as head coach of the American Football League's Denver Broncos.-Early life:Speedie was...
, with his final record at 10-21-1. However, following the 6-1 start two years earlier, Faulkner's team had managed only a 4-20-1 mark. Unfortunately the Broncos never would achieve real success until a decade or more later with another rookie head coach at the helm, Red Miller, who led them to their very first playoff appearance.
Later career
On January 22, 1965, Faulkner was hired as defensive backs coach of the Minnesota VikingsMinnesota 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...
under Norm Van Brocklin
Norm Van Brocklin
Norman Mack "Norm" Van Brocklin , nicknamed "The Dutchman", was an American football player and coach. He was also a first rate punter in college and in the NFL...
, who had played quarterback with the Rams during Faulkner's tenure. The changing Northern climate had a major effect on the allergies of Faulkner's three-year-old son Jon, forcing him to resign after just one season before accepting a scouting position with the Rams.
After one season in that capacity, Faulkner went back to coaching as defensive backs assistant with the expansion New Orleans Saints
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League ....
under another former Ram, Tom Fears
Tom Fears
Thomas Jesse Fears was a Mexican-American football wide receiver for the Los Angeles Rams in the National Football League, playing nine seasons from 1948 to 1956.-Early life:...
. After one year, Faulkner was promoted to defensive coordinator, but the continuing futility of the team resulted in Fears' dismissal midway through the 1970 NFL season
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...
. By that time, Faulkner had shifted to the team's front office, serving as player personnel director after the rigors of coaching had resulted in an ulcer. Before leaving the Saints for greener pastures once again in Los Angeles, Faulkner's last act with the Saints was to sign to the team a new quarterback whose last name still resonates in the NFL, Archie Manning.
On March 16, 1971, Faulkner joined the Rams for a third time, again becoming a scout for the team. Upon the arrival of new head coach Chuck Knox
Chuck Knox
Charles Robert "Chuck" Knox is a former American football coach at the high school, collegiate and professional levels. He is best remembered as head coach of three National Football League teams, the Seattle Seahawks, the Buffalo Bills, and the Los Angeles Rams, serving two separate stints with...
and long time friend two years later, Faulkner moved back into the coaching ranks again, serving seven seasons as the team's defensive line coach. During this stretch, the team played in five NFC Championship game
NFC Championship Game
The National Football Conference Championship Game is one of the two semi-final playoff matches of the National Football League, the largest professional American football league in the United States. The game is played on the penultimate Sunday in January and determines the champion of the...
s, finally winning the 1979 contest to compete in Super Bowl XIV
Super Bowl XIV
Super Bowl XIV was an American football game played on January 20, 1980 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California to decide the National Football League champion following the 1979 regular season...
.
Following that appearance, Faulkner left the coaching ranks for good and became the team's assistant general manager. That position quickly evolved into Director of Football Operations which allowed him to best use his talents as a renowned evaluator of football talent. He served in that capacity up through the late 1990s when his title evolved into Director of Pro Personnel responsible for evaluating the teams opponents and devising the weekly game plans with the coaching staff.
When the franchise shifted to St. Louis
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
following the 1994 NFL season
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...
, Faulkner was one of the few staff members to stay in California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. With Rams offices still based in Los Angeles he continued his work with the team all the way up to his passing in 2008.