Tom Bass (American football)
Encyclopedia
Tom Bass is a retired American football
coach who spent 30 years as an assistant with the Cincinnati Bengals
, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
, and San Diego Chargers
. He played at San Diego State University
as a lineman until a bout of polio left him unable to play football. He then served as an undergraduate coach, and upon graduation, as an assistant under Don Coryell
. He later worked on the Chargers staff with Sid Gillman
, the Bengals staff with Paul Brown
, and the Buccaneers staff under John McKay. He joined the Buccaneers in their inaugural season
as their director of pro scouting, and unofficially took over the offensive coordinator role when John Rauch
resigned. By the next season, he had become the team's defensive coordinator. He is credited with designing the Tampa Bay defense that ranked at or near the top of the league from 1978
-1981
. He left Tampa Bay before the 1982 NFL season
to join the Chargers, tasked with improving their league-last pass defense. He was also noted for teaching clinics to help female fans understand the game of football, and for having written two volumes of poetry. He has published several books of football drills and instructional techniques.
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 who spent 30 years as an assistant with the Cincinnati Bengals
Cincinnati Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional football team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the AFC's North Division in the National Football League . The Bengals began play in 1968 as an expansion team in the American Football League , and joined the NFL in 1970 in the AFL-NFL...
, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football franchise based in Tampa, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the Southern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League – they are the only team in the division not to come from the old NFC West...
, and San Diego 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...
. He played at San Diego State University
San Diego State Aztecs football
The San Diego State football team represents the San Diego State Aztecs in college football. The Aztecs, a Division I FBS team and a member of the Mountain West Conference, play their home games at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, California. The field is natural grass and has a maximum capacity of...
as a lineman until a bout of polio left him unable to play football. He then served as an undergraduate coach, and upon graduation, as an assistant under Don Coryell
Don Coryell
Donald David Coryell was an American football coach, who coached in the NFL first with the St. Louis Cardinals from 1973–1977 and then the San Diego Chargers from 1978-1986. He was well known for his innovations to football's passing offense. Coryell's offense was commonly known as "Air Coryell"...
. He later worked on the Chargers staff with 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...
, the Bengals staff with Paul Brown
Paul Brown
Paul Eugene Brown was a coach in American football and a major figure in the development of the National Football League...
, and the Buccaneers staff under John McKay. He joined the Buccaneers in their inaugural season
1976 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season
The NFL Tampa Bay Buccaneers played their debut season in 1976, making league history as the first team to play an entire 14-game season without winning or tying a single game. They did not score until their third game and did not score a touchdown until their fourth. They lost by a touchdown or...
as their director of pro scouting, and unofficially took over the offensive coordinator role when John Rauch
John Rauch
John "Johnny" Rauch was an American football player and coach. He was head coach of the Oakland Raiders in the team's loss to the Green Bay Packers in Super Bowl II in 1968.-Early life:...
resigned. By the next season, he had become the team's defensive coordinator. He is credited with designing the Tampa Bay defense that ranked at or near the top of the league from 1978
1978 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season
The 1978 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season began with the team trying to improve on a 2-12 season. Since their two 1977 victories came in the last two games of the season, they entered the 1978 season with the longest active winning streak in the NFC Central. The Buccaneers entered the season with new...
-1981
1981 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season
The 1981 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season began with the team trying to improve on an 5-10-1 season. The team was considered to be superior to the 1979 team that finished the season one game shy of the Super Bowl. With the running game and special teams ineffective, the Buccaneers depended heavily on...
. He left Tampa Bay before the 1982 NFL season
1982 NFL season
The 1982 NFL season was the 63rd regular season of the National Football League. A 57-day long players' strike reduced the 1982 season from a 16-game schedule per team to an abbreviated nine game schedule...
to join the Chargers, tasked with improving their league-last pass defense. He was also noted for teaching clinics to help female fans understand the game of football, and for having written two volumes of poetry. He has published several books of football drills and instructional techniques.