NFL coaching trees
Encyclopedia
Coaching tree
s are becoming more prominent in today's NFL culture. They are often referenced by various media outlets, such as ESPN (see Len Pasquarelli article). Each branch of the tree shows a relationship between one coach and their predecessor. The relationship shown on the below trees are of an assistant coach to a head coach. The former assistant branches out from the head coach that they used to work for. The tree examples below only show the relationship of former assistant coaches to their former head coach. In several cases, an assistant coach learns a general philosophy from their head coach. Coaching trees can also show a philosophical relationship between an assistant and a former head coach who mentored them (see Tony Dungy
below). In the current NFL, all 32 active head coaches trace their roots back to three main prominent Head Coaches: Bill Walsh
, Bill Parcells
, and Marty Schottenheimer
(See Graphic Below).
Additionally, many college football coaches worked as assistants for head coaches on the tree. For instance, Bill Belichick
can claim Kirk Ferentz
, Nick Saban
, and Charlie Weis
as descendants of his tree, though they are not included in the graphic above.
Coaching tree
A coaching tree is similar to a family tree except it shows the relationships of coaches instead of family members. There are several different ways to define a relationship between two coaches...
s are becoming more prominent in today's NFL culture. They are often referenced by various media outlets, such as ESPN (see Len Pasquarelli article). Each branch of the tree shows a relationship between one coach and their predecessor. The relationship shown on the below trees are of an assistant coach to a head coach. The former assistant branches out from the head coach that they used to work for. The tree examples below only show the relationship of former assistant coaches to their former head coach. In several cases, an assistant coach learns a general philosophy from their head coach. Coaching trees can also show a philosophical relationship between an assistant and a former head coach who mentored them (see Tony Dungy
Tony Dungy
Anthony Kevin "Tony" Dungy [DUN-jee] is a former professional American football player and coach in the National Football League. Dungy was head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 1996 to 2001, and head coach of the Indianapolis Colts from 2002 to 2008...
below). In the current NFL, all 32 active head coaches trace their roots back to three main prominent Head Coaches: Bill Walsh
Bill Walsh (football coach)
William Ernest "Bill" Walsh was a head coach for the San Francisco 49ers and Stanford Cardinal football team, during which time he popularized the West Coast offense....
, Bill Parcells
Bill Parcells
Duane Charles "Bill" Parcells is a former American football head coach, most recently with the Dallas Cowboys from 2003 to 2006...
, and Marty Schottenheimer
Marty Schottenheimer
Martin Edward "Marty" Schottenheimer is the current head coach of the Virginia Destroyers of the United Football League. Over his career, he has served as head coach of the Cleveland Browns, Kansas City Chiefs, Washington Redskins, and San Diego Chargers. He has the most wins of any NFL coach...
(See Graphic Below).
NFL Coaching Tree Examples
The following graphics are offered only as EXAMPLES of coaching trees. Each coach belongs to several different coaching trees as they work under many different coaches throughout their careers. These three trees attempt to show a relationship between each particular coach and only one of the former head coaches that they worked under. Current head coaches are underlined in red.Philosophical Tree Connections
Coaching trees can also show a philosophical relationship between a mentor head coach and their protege. Below is a list of current and former head coaches and who they primarily developed their philosophy under:- Norv TurnerNorv TurnerNorval Eugene Turner is the head coach for the National Football League's San Diego Chargers. He also has served as head coach of the Washington Redskins and the Oakland Raiders, and as offensive coordinator for the Dallas Cowboys, San Diego Chargers, Miami Dolphins, and San Francisco 49ers...
: Most recently Turner worked as an Offensive Coordinator under Mike NolanMike NolanMike Nolan is an American football coach and the current defensive coordinator of the Miami Dolphins...
in San FranciscoSan Francisco 49ersThe 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...
. However, before getting his first head coaching job with the RedskinsWashington RedskinsThe 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 1994, Turner worked under both John RobinsonJohn Robinson (football coach)John Alexander Robinson is a former American football player and coach best known for his two stints as head coach of the University of Southern California football team and for his tenure as head coach of the NFL's Los Angeles Rams...
in Los Angeles and Jimmy JohnsonJimmy Johnson (American football coach)James William "Jimmy" Johnson is an American former NCAA and National Football League head coach. As of 2010, he is currently an analyst for Fox NFL Sunday, the Fox network's NFL pregame show. He was the first football coach whose teams won both an NCAA Division 1A National Championship and a...
in DallasDallas CowboysThe 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...
. Turner article - Wade PhillipsWade PhillipsWade 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...
: Coached under Marty SchottenheimerMarty SchottenheimerMartin Edward "Marty" Schottenheimer is the current head coach of the Virginia Destroyers of the United Football League. Over his career, he has served as head coach of the Cleveland Browns, Kansas City Chiefs, Washington Redskins, and San Diego Chargers. He has the most wins of any NFL coach...
, but primarily learned his philosophy from his father, Bum PhillipsBum PhillipsOail Andrew "Bum" Phillips is a retired American football coach and the father of Wade Phillips, the Defensive Coordinator for the Houston Texans...
. Phillips article - Jon GrudenJon GrudenJon David Gruden is an American football analyst and former head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for seven seasons and prior to that the Oakland Raiders for four seasons. In his first year as the head coach of Tampa Bay, the Buccaneers won Super Bowl XXXVII, defeating the Raiders whom he had...
: Worked under Mike HolmgrenMike HolmgrenMichael George Holmgren is a former professional football coach and current President of the Cleveland Browns. He served as the head coach of the Green Bay Packers from 1992 to 1998, and the Seattle Seahawks from 1999 to 2008...
in Green BayGreen Bay PackersThe 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...
. Holmgren/Gruden article - Tony DungyTony DungyAnthony Kevin "Tony" Dungy [DUN-jee] is a former professional American football player and coach in the National Football League. Dungy was head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 1996 to 2001, and head coach of the Indianapolis Colts from 2002 to 2008...
: Is listed above as part of the Schottenheimer coaching tree. However, Dungy attributes most of his coaching style from tutelage under Chuck NollChuck NollCharles Henry "Chuck" Noll is a former professional American football player and coach, and a member of the Sid Gillman coaching tree. He served most notably as the head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League from 1969 to 1991...
. Noll learned much of his own philosophy from Paul BrownPaul BrownPaul Eugene Brown was a coach in American football and a major figure in the development of the National Football League...
. Noll coached Dungy as a player and also gave him his first NFL position as the defensive backs coach of the Pittsburgh SteelersPittsburgh SteelersThe 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...
. Dungy later became the defensive coordinator for the Steelers. Dungy article - Todd HaleyTodd HaleyTodd Haley is the head coach of the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League . Prior to joining the Chiefs, Haley served as the Arizona Cardinals' offensive coordinator from 2007 to 2008, and was the wide receivers coach for the New York Jets, Chicago Bears, and Dallas Cowboys.-Early...
: Coached under Bill Parcells and learned his philosophy from him for many years before joining Ken WhisenhuntKen WhisenhuntKenneth "Ken" Moore Whisenhunt is the current head coach of the Arizona Cardinals NFL football team, leading them to the first Super Bowl in franchise history during the 2008 season...
in Arizona, in 2007. - Steve SpagnuoloSteve SpagnuoloSteven Christopher Spagnuolo is the current head coach of the St. Louis Rams. He was previously the defensive coordinator of the New York Giants from January 2007 to January 2009, and also served for eight years under defensive coordinator Jim Johnson of the Philadelphia Eagles.-Early years:Born...
: While Spagnuolo is credited under Tom Coughlin and Bill Parcells tree, he studied and learned much of his style and system during his tenure in PhiladelphiaPhiladelphia EaglesThe 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...
under Jim JohnsonJim Johnson (coach)Jim Johnson was an American football, basketball, and baseball player, coach, and college athletics administrator. He was tapped to reintroduce men's sports to East Carolina after World War II. He was the seventh head coach of the football, basketball and baseball teams at East Carolina Teachers...
and Andy Reid. Spagnuolo took Johnson's style of play to New YorkNew York GiantsThe 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...
where he gained national attention for his scheming and personnel packages that helped shut down New EnglandNew England PatriotsThe 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 the Super BowlSuper Bowl XLIISuper Bowl XLII was an American football game on February 3, 2008 that featured the National Football Conference champion New York Giants and the American Football Conference champion New England Patriots to decide the National Football League champion for the 2007 season...
, one of the biggest upsets in NFL history. He then took that defense to St. LouisSt. Louis RamsThe 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,...
. - Jack Del RioJack Del RioJack Del Rio is an American football coach and former player. Del Rio played both football and baseball for the University of Southern California Trojans, and then spent eleven years playing linebacker in the National Football League . He retired from playing in 1996 and went into coaching,...
: He worked under Marvin Lewis on the RavensBaltimore RavensThe Baltimore Ravens are a professional football franchise based in Baltimore, Maryland.The Baltimore Ravens are officially a quasi-expansion franchise, having originated in 1995 with the Cleveland Browns relocation controversy after Art Modell, then owner of the Cleveland Browns, announced his...
' defensive staff. However, Del Río got his coaching start from Mike DitkaMike DitkaMichael 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...
in New OrleansNew Orleans SaintsThe 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 ....
, and then worked as Defensive Coordinator under John FoxJohn FoxJohn Fox may refer to:* Tinker Fox, Colonel John Fox , English Parliamentarian Soldier*John Fox * John Fox , pitcher for Major League Baseball* John Fox , comedian...
in CarolinaCarolina PanthersThe Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. They are currently members of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Panthers, along with the Jacksonville Jaguars, joined the NFL as expansion...
before being hired by JacksonvilleJacksonville JaguarsThe Jacksonville Jaguars are a professional American football team based in Jacksonville, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
in 20032003 Jacksonville Jaguars seasonThe 2003 Jacksonville Jaguars season was the ninth season for the team in the National Football League. The Jaguars failed to improve upon their 6–10 regular season record in 2002 and did not make the playoffs....
.
Additionally, many college football coaches worked as assistants for head coaches on the tree. For instance, Bill Belichick
Bill Belichick
William Stephen "Bill" Belichick is an American football head coach for the New England Patriots of the National Football League. After spending his first 15 seasons in the league as an assistant coach, Belichick got his first head coaching job with the Cleveland Browns in 1991...
can claim Kirk Ferentz
Kirk Ferentz
Kirk James Ferentz is an American football coach and former player. He is currently the head football coach at the University of Iowa, a position he has held since 1999. From 1990 to 1992, Ferentz was the head football coach at the University of Maine. He has also served as an assistant coach...
, Nick Saban
Nick Saban
Nicholas Lou "Nick" Saban is the head coach of the University of Alabama's Crimson Tide football team. Saban has previously served as head coach of the National Football League's Miami Dolphins and three other NCAA universities: LSU, Michigan State and Toledo...
, and Charlie Weis
Charlie Weis
Charles Joseph "Charlie" Weis is an American football coach. He currently serves as offensive coordinator for the Florida Gators. For five years, from December 2004 through 2009, he was the head football coach at the University of Notre Dame...
as descendants of his tree, though they are not included in the graphic above.