Jim Dooley
Encyclopedia
James William Dooley was a former American football player and coach. He is best remembered for his tenure in both capacities with the National Football League
's Chicago Bears
.
Dooley, who grew up in Miami, Florida
, originally wanted to pursue a career in medicine at Vanderbilt University, but attended the nearby University of Miami
when head coach Andy Gustafson
agreed to have the school pay his way through medical school. With the Hurricanes, he played on both sides of the ball and put together an outstanding career, winning All-America
n honors and becoming the first player in school history to have his number retired. Possessing great speed, he capped this era with four interceptions against Clemson University
in the Gator Bowl
on January 1, 1952, then was drafted in the first round by the Bears.
In his first year in the NFL, Dooley saw little time on offense, but collected five interceptions. In 1953, he became an important part of the team's passing attack with 53 receptions and four touchdowns, showing a flair for faking out defenders while also popularizing the down-and-out pass. After 34 catches and seven touchdowns the following year, Dooley's career took a detour when he missed much of the next two seasons by serving the U.S. Air Force. He joined the team on November 28, 1956, and played in their final three games, helping the team reach the NFL Championship game against the New York Giants
.
Teaming with fellow wideout Harlon Hill
, Dooley hauled in 37 passes, but only reached the end zone once during the 1957 NFL season
. He then missed the entire 1958 campaign when he was forced to the sidelines with an ankle injury, but returned in 1959 with 41 catches. After following that performance with 36 receptions in 1960, Dooley made plans to retire, but changed his mind, catching only six passes the following year.
After competing during the 1962 preseason, Dooley officially retired, but he was soon added as an assistant coach. Three years as the team's wide receivers coach were followed in 1966 by his elevation to the role of the team's defensive coordinator
. The move followed the departure of George Allen
, with Dooley quickly becoming known for his innovative strategies. These included flip-flopping the team's defensive tackles during that first year, then using five men in the defensive backfield on third down in 1967, which became known as "the Dooley Shift" and now is referred to as the nickel defense.
In February 1968, Dooley was returned to the offensive side of the ball, but that status changed just months later when Chicago's legendary coach, 73-year-old George Halas
, announced his retirement on May 27 due to arthritis
. Dooley was named to replace him the following day.
The Bears won half of their games during the 1968 NFL season
, but the team collapsed the following year with a 1-13 record. The lone win that year came at midseason against the league's other 1-13 team, the Pittsburgh Steelers
.
In 1970, the Bears improved by five games to finish with a 6-8 record, and appeared to be on track for major improvement the following year by winning five of their first seven games, including a 23-19 victory in week seven over the eventual Super Bowl
champion Dallas Cowboys
. However, the second half of the campaign proved to be disaster, with just one win in the final seven contests, including a 34-3 humiliation on Monday Night Football
against the other Super Bowl participant, the Miami Dolphins
. The inevitable result of the collapse came on December 29, 1971 when Dooley was fired, the first Bears coach ever to suffer that fate.
Dooley soon signed as the linebacker coach for the Buffalo Bills
, but resigned after just one season. After sitting out the 1973 NFL season
, Dooley was named an assistant with the fledgling World Football League
's Southern California Sun
. The job came just one week after he had filed for bankruptcy, citing nearly half a million dollars in debts, including $320,000 to former Bear player and assistant Sid Luckman
. In a parallel of his personal problems, Dooley's job ended with the financial problems of the league, at which point he went to work for Luckman at Cellucraft, as a national account sales manager for flexible packaging products, for the next five years.
On October 12, 1981, he was rehired by the Bears as an offensive consultant, a decision that caused conflict with the team's coaching staff, causing them to consider him something of a spy for management. After the conclusion of the season, Dooley and all the other coaches were dismissed, but the team's new head coach Mike Ditka
, who had played under Dooley two decades earlier, hired him to scout game film of upcoming opponents.
Dooley flourished in his new job, aiding the Bears's rise and playing a part in their dominating 1985 season that was capped with a 46-10 victory over the New England Patriots
in Super Bowl XX
.
In 1997, he was honored by his alma mater with a spot in the Miami Hurricanes' Ring of Honor.
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...
's 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...
.
Dooley, who grew up in Miami, Florida
Miami, Florida
Miami is a city located on the Atlantic coast in southeastern Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, the most populous county in Florida and the eighth-most populous county in the United States with a population of 2,500,625...
, originally wanted to pursue a career in medicine at Vanderbilt University, but attended the nearby University of Miami
University of Miami
The University of Miami is a private, non-sectarian university founded in 1925 with its main campus in Coral Gables, Florida, a medical campus in Miami city proper at Civic Center, and an oceanographic research facility on Virginia Key., the university currently enrolls 15,629 students in 12...
when head coach Andy Gustafson
Andy Gustafson
-External links:...
agreed to have the school pay his way through medical school. With the Hurricanes, he played on both sides of the ball and put together an outstanding career, winning All-America
All-America
An All-America team is an honorary sports team composed of outstanding amateur players—those considered the best players of a specific season for each team position—who in turn are given the honorific "All-America" and typically referred to as "All-American athletes", or simply...
n honors and becoming the first player in school history to have his number retired. Possessing great speed, he capped this era with four interceptions against Clemson University
Clemson University
Clemson University is an American public, coeducational, land-grant, sea-grant, research university located in Clemson, South Carolina, United States....
in the Gator Bowl
Gator Bowl
The Gator Bowl is an annual college football bowl game played at EverBank Field in Jacksonville, Florida. Held continuously since 1946, it is the sixth oldest college bowl, as well as the first one ever televised nationally...
on January 1, 1952, then was drafted in the first round by the Bears.
In his first year in the NFL, Dooley saw little time on offense, but collected five interceptions. In 1953, he became an important part of the team's passing attack with 53 receptions and four touchdowns, showing a flair for faking out defenders while also popularizing the down-and-out pass. After 34 catches and seven touchdowns the following year, Dooley's career took a detour when he missed much of the next two seasons by serving the U.S. Air Force. He joined the team on November 28, 1956, and played in their final three games, helping the team reach the NFL Championship 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...
.
Teaming with fellow wideout Harlon Hill
Harlon Hill
Harlon Junius Hill was a standout player at Lauderdale County High School and later as an offensive end at Florence State Teachers College, now known as the University of North Alabama, being named an NAIA All-American in his senior year...
, Dooley hauled in 37 passes, but only reached the end zone once during the 1957 NFL season
1957 NFL season
The 1957 NFL season was the 38th regular season of the National Football League. The season ended when the Detroit Lions crushed the Cleveland Browns in the NFL Championship Game, 59–14.-Major rule changes:...
. He then missed the entire 1958 campaign when he was forced to the sidelines with an ankle injury, but returned in 1959 with 41 catches. After following that performance with 36 receptions in 1960, Dooley made plans to retire, but changed his mind, catching only six passes the following year.
After competing during the 1962 preseason, Dooley officially retired, but he was soon added as an assistant coach. Three years as the team's wide receivers coach were followed in 1966 by his elevation to the role of the team's 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...
. The move followed the departure of George Allen
George Allen (football)
George Herbert Allen was an American football coach in the National Football League and the United States Football League. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2002.-Early life:...
, with Dooley quickly becoming known for his innovative strategies. These included flip-flopping the team's defensive tackles during that first year, then using five men in the defensive backfield on third down in 1967, which became known as "the Dooley Shift" and now is referred to as the nickel defense.
In February 1968, Dooley was returned to the offensive side of the ball, but that status changed just months later when Chicago's legendary coach, 73-year-old George Halas
George Halas
George Stanley Halas, Sr. , nicknamed "Papa Bear" and "Mr. Everything", was a player, coach, owner and pioneer in professional American football. He was the iconic longtime leader of the NFL's Chicago Bears...
, announced his retirement on May 27 due to arthritis
Arthritis
Arthritis is a form of joint disorder that involves inflammation of one or more joints....
. Dooley was named to replace him the following day.
The Bears won half of their games during the 1968 NFL 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...
, but the team collapsed the following year with a 1-13 record. The lone win that year came at midseason against the league's other 1-13 team, the 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 1970, the Bears improved by five games to finish with a 6-8 record, and appeared to be on track for major improvement the following year by winning five of their first seven games, including a 23-19 victory in week seven over the eventual Super Bowl
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...
champion Dallas Cowboys
1971 Dallas Cowboys season
The 1971 Dallas Cowboys season was their 12th in the NFL. The club led the NFL with 406 points scored. Their defense allowed 222 points. For the sixth consecutive seasons, the Cowboys had a first place finish. The Cowboys made it to their second consecutive Super Bowl and beat the Miami Dolphins to...
. However, the second half of the campaign proved to be disaster, with just one win in the final seven contests, including a 34-3 humiliation 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...
against the other Super Bowl participant, the Miami Dolphins
1971 Miami Dolphins season
-NFL Draft:-Schedule:-Playoffs:- Standings : -Roster:-Scoring summary:*Dallas Mike Clark, FG 14 yds *Dallas L.Alworth, 9 yd pass from Staubach *Miami Yeprmeniam, FG 23 yds...
. The inevitable result of the collapse came on December 29, 1971 when Dooley was fired, the first Bears coach ever to suffer that fate.
Dooley soon signed as the linebacker coach for 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...
, but resigned after just one season. After sitting out the 1973 NFL season
1973 NFL season
The 1973 NFL season was the 54th regular season of the National Football League. The season featured O.J. Simpson becoming the first man to rush for 2,000 yards in one season...
, Dooley was named an assistant with the fledgling World Football League
World Football League
The World Football League was a short-lived gridiron football league that played in 1974 and part of 1975. Although the league's proclaimed ambition was to bring American football onto a worldwide stage, the farthest the WFL reached was placing a team – the Hawaiians – in Honolulu, Hawaii. The...
's Southern California Sun
Southern California Sun
The Southern California Sun were an American football team based out of Anaheim, California that played in the World Football League in 1974 and 1975. Their records were 13-7 in 1974 and 7-5 in 1975. Their home stadium was Anaheim Stadium...
. The job came just one week after he had filed for bankruptcy, citing nearly half a million dollars in debts, including $320,000 to former Bear player and assistant Sid Luckman
Sid Luckman
Sidney Luckman, known as Sid Luckman, was an American football quarterback for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League from 1939 to 1950...
. In a parallel of his personal problems, Dooley's job ended with the financial problems of the league, at which point he went to work for Luckman at Cellucraft, as a national account sales manager for flexible packaging products, for the next five years.
On October 12, 1981, he was rehired by the Bears as an offensive consultant, a decision that caused conflict with the team's coaching staff, causing them to consider him something of a spy for management. After the conclusion of the season, Dooley and all the other coaches were dismissed, but the team's new head coach Mike Ditka
Mike Ditka
Michael Keller Ditka, Jr. is a former American football NFL player, television commentator, and coach. Ditka coached the Chicago Bears for 11 years and New Orleans Saints for three years. Ditka and Tom Flores are the only two people to win Super Bowls as a player, an assistant coach, and a head...
, who had played under Dooley two decades earlier, hired him to scout game film of upcoming opponents.
Dooley flourished in his new job, aiding the Bears's rise and playing a part in their dominating 1985 season that was capped with a 46-10 victory over the New England Patriots
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National...
in Super Bowl XX
Super Bowl XX
Super Bowl XX was an American football championship game played on January 26, 1986 at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana to decide the National Football League champion following the 1985 regular season...
.
In 1997, he was honored by his alma mater with a spot in the Miami Hurricanes' Ring of Honor.