Pat Peppler
Encyclopedia
Albert Patterson Peppler (born April 16, 1922) is a former football
coach and executive who worked for teams that won five National Football League
titles. He may be best remembered for serving as head coach of the NFL's Atlanta Falcons
during the final nine games of the 1976 NFL season
.
, Peppler's athleticism at Michigan State University
saw him play not only football, but baseball and basketball as well.
and Grant High Schools.
That success led to an eight-year tenure as an assistant at North Carolina State University
beginning in 1954, followed by one year at Wake Forest University
in 1962. On January 28, 1963, one month after winning their second straight NFL title, the Green Bay Packers
hired Peppler as director of player personnel, where he worked with head coach Vince Lombardi
in helping continue a talent pipeline that won three more championships, including their first two Super Bowl
s.
However, even before Lombardi left following the 1967 NFL season
, Peppler's talent for player procurement stumbled as the team failed to replace the host of future Pro Football Hall of Fame
rs that dotted the roster. On March 24, 1972, Peppler resigned to become director of professional scouting for the Miami Dolphins
, replacing Joe Thomas, who had helped lay the groundwork for the team's success.
In his first two years with Miami, Peppler was part of consecutive Super Bowl championships, a stretch that included a perfect 17-0 campaign during the 1972 NFL season
. On February 26, 1975, he accepted the position of general manager for the Atlanta Falcons. Looking to build around the first pick in that year's draft, quarterback Steve Bartkowski
, Peppler saw the team finish 4-10 under Marion Campbell
during the 1975 NFL season
. When Campbell won only one of the first five games the following year, he was fired and Peppler finished out the year, compiling a 3-6 record.
Despite the promise shown in the final two months of the season, which included an upset of the Dallas Cowboys, Peppler's uncertain future forced him to look for other job openings. On February 2, 1977, he was named assistant general manager of the Houston Oilers
, a post he held for four seasons. During that time, the Oilers competed in two AFC Championship game
s against the Pittsburgh Steelers
, but when head coach Bum Phillips
was fired after a disappointing end to the 1980 NFL season
, he was fired and accepted the head coaching position with the New Orleans Saints
. Peppler followed him, taking a front office job on January 27, 1981.
The Saints, coming off a horrific 1-15 campaign in 1980, spent the next few years rebuilding, but after nearly five years of struggles, Phillips resigned on November 25, 1985, with Peppler also being asked to resign at the same time. The move would mark the end of Peppler's NFL career.
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 executive who worked for teams that won five National Football League
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...
titles. He may be best remembered for serving as head coach of the NFL's 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 final nine games of the 1976 NFL season
1976 NFL season
The 1976 NFL season was the 57th regular season of the National Football League. The league expanded to 28 teams with the addition of the Seattle Seahawks and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers...
.
Early life
A native of Shorewood, WisconsinShorewood, Wisconsin
Shorewood is a village in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 13,763 at the 2000 census. Howell Raines of The New York Times said in 1979 that "[t]his maplestudded town on Lake Michigan dotes on its reputation as Milwaukee's most liberal suburb."-Geography:Shorewood is...
, Peppler's athleticism at Michigan State University
Michigan State University
Michigan State University is a public research university in East Lansing, Michigan, USA. Founded in 1855, it was the pioneer land-grant institution and served as a model for future land-grant colleges in the United States under the 1862 Morrill Act.MSU pioneered the studies of packaging,...
saw him play not only football, but baseball and basketball as well.
Career
After graduating from Michigan State, Peppler tried playing minor league baseball and became a head football coach at the high school level, winning state championships at both East LansingEast Lansing High School
East Lansing High School is a public high school in the city of East Lansing, Michigan, United States. It is managed by the East Lansing Public Schools district....
and Grant High Schools.
That success led to an eight-year tenure as an assistant at North Carolina State University
North Carolina State University
North Carolina State University at Raleigh is a public, coeducational, extensive research university located in Raleigh, North Carolina, United States. Commonly known as NC State, the university is part of the University of North Carolina system and is a land, sea, and space grant institution...
beginning in 1954, followed by one year at Wake Forest University
Wake Forest University
Wake Forest University is a private, coeducational university in the U.S. state of North Carolina, founded in 1834. The university received its name from its original location in Wake Forest, north of Raleigh, North Carolina, the state capital. The Reynolda Campus, the university's main campus, is...
in 1962. On January 28, 1963, one month after winning their second straight NFL title, 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...
hired Peppler as director of player personnel, where he worked with head coach Vince Lombardi
Vince Lombardi
Vincent Thomas "Vince" Lombardi was an American football coach. He is best known as the head coach of the Green Bay Packers during the 1960s, where he led the team to three straight league championships and five in seven years, including winning the first two Super Bowls following the 1966 and...
in helping continue a talent pipeline that won three more championships, including their first two 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...
s.
However, even before Lombardi left following the 1967 NFL season
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...
, Peppler's talent for player procurement stumbled as the team failed to replace the host of future Pro Football Hall of Fame
Pro Football Hall of Fame
The Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame of professional football in the United States with an emphasis on the National Football League . It opened in Canton, Ohio, on September 7, 1963, with 17 charter inductees...
rs that dotted the roster. On March 24, 1972, Peppler resigned to become director of professional scouting for 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...
, replacing Joe Thomas, who had helped lay the groundwork for the team's success.
In his first two years with Miami, Peppler was part of consecutive Super Bowl championships, a stretch that included a perfect 17-0 campaign during the 1972 NFL 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:...
. On February 26, 1975, he accepted the position of general manager for the Atlanta Falcons. Looking to build around the first pick in that year's draft, quarterback Steve Bartkowski
Steve Bartkowski
Steven Joseph "Steve" Bartkowski is a former American football quarterback in the National Football League who played for the Atlanta Falcons and the Los Angeles Rams...
, Peppler saw the team finish 4-10 under Marion Campbell
Marion Campbell
Francis Marion Campbell is a former American football defensive lineman and head coach. Campbell played college football for the Georgia Bulldogs from 1949 until 1951, where he was appropriately nicknamed "Swamp Fox"...
during the 1975 NFL season
1975 NFL season
The 1975 NFL season was the 56th regular season of the National Football League. It was also the first time that featured an entire season with no games ending in a tie. The league made two significant changes to increase the appeal of the game:...
. When Campbell won only one of the first five games the following year, he was fired and Peppler finished out the year, compiling a 3-6 record.
Despite the promise shown in the final two months of the season, which included an upset of the Dallas Cowboys, Peppler's uncertain future forced him to look for other job openings. On February 2, 1977, he was named assistant general manager 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...
, a post he held for four seasons. During that time, the Oilers competed in two AFC Championship game
AFC Championship Game
The American Football Conference Championship Game is one of the two 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 American...
s against 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...
, but when head coach Bum Phillips
Bum Phillips
Oail Andrew "Bum" Phillips is a retired American football coach and the father of Wade Phillips, the Defensive Coordinator for the Houston Texans...
was fired after a disappointing end to the 1980 NFL season
1980 NFL season
The 1980 NFL season was the 61st regular season of the National Football League.After the league declined to approve the proposed move by the Raiders from Oakland, California to Los Angeles, the team along with the Los Angeles Coliseum sued the NFL for violating antitrust laws...
, he was fired and accepted the head coaching position with the 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 ....
. Peppler followed him, taking a front office job on January 27, 1981.
The Saints, coming off a horrific 1-15 campaign in 1980, spent the next few years rebuilding, but after nearly five years of struggles, Phillips resigned on November 25, 1985, with Peppler also being asked to resign at the same time. The move would mark the end of Peppler's NFL career.