Jim Shofner
Encyclopedia
Jim Shofner is a former football
player and coach at both the collegiate and professional levels. He was twice a head coach: first at Texas Christian University
from 1974-1976, then in an interim capacity with the Cleveland Browns
in 1990.
Shofner was a four-sport star at North Side High School in Fort Worth, Texas
, serving as captain of three squads. He played college football on both sides of the ball at Texas Christian, leading the Southwestern Conference in rushing in 1957 with 682 yards, while scoring six touchdowns. He was a first round draft selection of the Browns the following year, and after seeing little action as a rookie, became a starting cornerback in 1959.
During this period, the magic that Paul Brown had enjoyed during his first decade as head coach of the Browns had faded, with the team failing to reach the playoffs during Shofner's six years with the team. On March 17, 1964, Shofner announced his retirement, citing a business opportunity involving the insurance business in which he was involved. That opportunity apparently disappeared when Shofner signed as an assistant coach at Texas Christian (TCU), his alma mater, beginning a three-decade run in the coaching ranks.
Shofner served for three years in his role at TCU before returning to the NFL as an assistant with the San Francisco 49ers
on March 6, 1967. Despite a head coaching change after the first season, Shofner would stay with the team for another six years, starting on defense before shifting to the offensive side. In 1970, he helped quarterback John Brodie
win Most Valuable Player honors with a career year.
On December 5, 1973, Shofner was named head coach at Texas Christian, but the team endured a 20-game losing streak and Shofner won just twice in three seasons before resigning. In 1977, Shofner resurfaced with the 49ers before serving as the architect of the Cleveland Browns
' offense for three seasons. During his final year with the team, Shofner watched Browns' quarterback Brian Sipe
throw for more than 4,000 yards and win the NFL Most Valuable Player award.
That success resulted in his hiring as offensive coordinator of the Houston Oilers
on February 4, 1981, but the team had slipped from its recent success. After two seasons, Shofner again announced he was leaving to enter private business, but instead, was hired in the same role with the Dallas Cowboys
, where he spent three years.
Following the conclusion of the 1985 NFL season
, Shofner was demoted by the Cowboys and left to work for the St. Louis Cardinals (football)
. Midway through his four years with the team, the franchise was relocated to Arizona, but the switch proved to have no effect on the team's dismal fortunes.
Shofner returned to Cleveland for the 1990 NFL season
, but the success he had enjoyed a decade earlier was non-existent as the Browns' collapsed, resulting in head coach Bud Carson
's firing on November 5. Shofner was named interim head coach, but the team won only one of the remaining seven games.
After spending the 1991 NFL season
in a scouting capacity with the Browns, Shofner returned to the field in 1992 when he was hired as quarterback coach with the Buffalo Bills
. During his first two seasons, the Bills reached the Super Bowl
, but after a disappointing 1996 season, Shofner was reassigned to the team's scouting staff.
Jim Shofner currently lives in Granbury, Texas.
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 coach at both the collegiate and professional levels. He was twice a head coach: first at Texas Christian University
Texas Christian University
Texas Christian University is a private, coeducational university located in Fort Worth, Texas, United States and founded in 1873. TCU is affiliated with, but not governed by, the Disciples of Christ...
from 1974-1976, then in an interim capacity with the Cleveland Browns
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
in 1990.
Shofner was a four-sport star at North Side High School in Fort Worth, Texas
Fort Worth, Texas
Fort Worth is the 16th-largest city in the United States of America and the fifth-largest city in the state of Texas. Located in North Central Texas, just southeast of the Texas Panhandle, the city is a cultural gateway into the American West and covers nearly in Tarrant, Parker, Denton, and...
, serving as captain of three squads. He played college football on both sides of the ball at Texas Christian, leading the Southwestern Conference in rushing in 1957 with 682 yards, while scoring six touchdowns. He was a first round draft selection of the Browns the following year, and after seeing little action as a rookie, became a starting cornerback in 1959.
During this period, the magic that Paul Brown had enjoyed during his first decade as head coach of the Browns had faded, with the team failing to reach the playoffs during Shofner's six years with the team. On March 17, 1964, Shofner announced his retirement, citing a business opportunity involving the insurance business in which he was involved. That opportunity apparently disappeared when Shofner signed as an assistant coach at Texas Christian (TCU), his alma mater, beginning a three-decade run in the coaching ranks.
Shofner served for three years in his role at TCU before returning to the NFL as an assistant 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...
on March 6, 1967. Despite a head coaching change after the first season, Shofner would stay with the team for another six years, starting on defense before shifting to the offensive side. In 1970, he helped quarterback John Brodie
John Brodie
John Riley Brodie is a former professional American football quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers, and had a second career as a Senior PGA Tour professional golfer.-Early years and education:...
win Most Valuable Player honors with a career year.
On December 5, 1973, Shofner was named head coach at Texas Christian, but the team endured a 20-game losing streak and Shofner won just twice in three seasons before resigning. In 1977, Shofner resurfaced with the 49ers before serving as the architect of the Cleveland Browns
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
' offense for three seasons. During his final year with the team, Shofner watched Browns' quarterback Brian Sipe
Brian Sipe
Brian Winfield Sipe is a former professional American football quarterback who played in the National Football League from 1974 to 1983 and the United States Football League from 1984 to 1985....
throw for more than 4,000 yards and win the NFL Most Valuable Player award.
That success resulted in his hiring as offensive coordinator of 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...
on February 4, 1981, but the team had slipped from its recent success. After two seasons, Shofner again announced he was leaving to enter private business, but instead, was hired in the same role 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...
, where he spent three years.
Following the conclusion of the 1985 NFL season
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:...
, Shofner was demoted by the Cowboys and left to work for the St. Louis Cardinals (football)
Arizona Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in Glendale, Arizona, a suburb of Phoenix. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
. Midway through his four years with the team, the franchise was relocated to Arizona, but the switch proved to have no effect on the team's dismal fortunes.
Shofner returned to Cleveland for the 1990 NFL season
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...
, but the success he had enjoyed a decade earlier was non-existent as the Browns' collapsed, resulting in head coach Bud Carson
Bud Carson
Leon H. "Bud" Carson was an American football coach best known for his role on the Pittsburgh Steelers' championship teams of the 1970s.-Player:Carson played defensive back for North Carolina from 1949 to 1951, then entered the Marines.-Georgia Tech:...
's firing on November 5. Shofner was named interim head coach, but the team won only one of the remaining seven games.
After spending 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....
in a scouting capacity with the Browns, Shofner returned to the field in 1992 when he was hired as quarterback coach 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...
. During his first two seasons, the Bills reached the 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...
, but after a disappointing 1996 season, Shofner was reassigned to the team's scouting staff.
Jim Shofner currently lives in Granbury, Texas.