Author Archives: The Chancellor of Football

When Pittsburgh Was The Center of The NFL’s Defensive Universe

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Over the last two weeks NFL pundits, including yours truly have been upset at the way the Steelers organization is playing games with TJ Watt. How can you play games with a future Hall of Famer like this? Sign him and go into the 2025 season with optimism and your defensive play maker ready to lead the charge! I joked about it on my Facebook page with a few former players when it hit me… wait a minute we’ve been here before.

Now all of us historians harken back to the great Steelers defense of the 1970’s and in particular focus on the ’74 draft where they selected 4 future Hall of Famers. Only Jack Lambert on the defense was drafted that year as FS Donnie Shell was an undrafted free agent. The Steel Curtain front four, Linebackers Ham and Russell had been assembled from 1963-74 when they broke through to win Super Bowl IX. Not one group that grew into menace from a single draft class.

Not only did this group achieve accolades but they shaped the next generation of NFL defensive excellence and the Steelers penchant for pinching pennies derailed that group also.

It was their 1987 draft class…. let’s set this up for you:

First round selection, HOF CB Rod Woodson went to 7 of his 11 Pro Bowls in the Steel City, won the 1993 NFL Defensive Player of the Year, and made the All Time 75th team in ’94. Woodson came within a few votes from back-to-back NFL Defensive Player of the Year awards & finished in the top 5 – 3 times in 4 years (1993-’96). He was one of the most physically gifted CB which allowed him to excel once he aged and moved to Safety.

Rod went to the Pro Bowl 4 times at his new position and was All Pro twice for the Baltimore Ravens & Oakland Raiders. He was one of the leaders on one of the greatest defenses in NFL history in 2000 as a mentor to Ray Lewis. A #2 defense that set the record for fewest points in a season (165) and won Super Bowl XXXV going away. Before these stays he started at CB for the ’97 49ers who ranked #3 defensively and made it to the NFC Championship Game. His 2002 Raiders played in Super Bowl XXXVII where at the age of 37, received his 11th Pro Bowl and his 8th All Pro selection after a career high 8 interceptions. In addition to Canton, Woodson was named to The NFL’s All Time 100th Anniversary Team in 2019.

The most intimidating Steeler of them all…. Greg Lloyd

Greg Lloyd came in the 6th round & crashed the pass pocket from his OLB position making 5 straight Pro Bowls (’91-’95). They deployed him in Nickle and Dime situations both off the ball and as an edge rusher. In those 5 seasons he had 37 sacks, 27 forced fumbles and 6 interceptions in what The Chancellor believes was a Hall of Fame career. We’ll cover his total numbers later but we have to introduce everyone. Lloyd matured into the menacing face of the Steelers defense and twice was in the top 3 in NFL Defensive Player of The Year voting. Yes… at the same time as Woodson…in ’94-95.

Not a bad start until you get into the frugal way the Steelers are with homegrown talent. This led to a holdout after 5 years for FS Thomas Everett who was a hard hitter in the secondary who didn’t receive the accolades nationally his teammates had but how valuable was he? The Steelers dealt him to Dallas during his holdout at the start of ’92. #27 was a 4th round selection out of Baylor. The same school that produced HOF Mike Singletary.

Now you’re thinking “wait, this isn’t greatest ever talent”… well…. going into the 1992 season the Cowboys Achilles’ heel was their secondary.  Their draft tells you that picking up SS Darren Woodson, CB Kevin Smith, and CB Clayton Holmes in the first few rounds. In 1991, Dallas had lost to 4 run and shoot teams including a 38-6 drubbing to Detroit in the divisional round of the playoffs. The biggest blowout loss of any NFC team in the 1990’s. They had some coverage issues but Everett solidified the secondary, put players in good spots and made several plays that defined the Super Bowl XXVII rout of my Buffalo Bills.  He helped turn the secondary into a team strength.

Not Charles Haley…it was Thomas Everett that pushed the Cowboys over the top back in the early 1990s.

In the 2nd quarter when Buffalo was threatening to take the lead, Dallas had a goal line stand where Buffalo went for it on 4th down from the 1. Who intercepted the ball in the end zone to totally deflate the Bills? Thomas Everett. After halftime down 28-10 and fired up to get back into the game in the 3rd quarter, who read a short route and jumped it returning an interception to Buffalo’s 10 to end the competitive phase of the game?  That same Thomas Everett!

They were 3-1 against top 10 passing offenses and rose from 17th in total defense to 1st. Their pass defense rose from 23rd to 5th in their ’92 Super Bowl winning season. Yet he made his only Pro Bowl in 1993 and made a huge play intercepting Steve Young in the 2nd quarter of the NFC Championship setting up the TD to go up 14-0 in a raucous Texas Stadium. Two years with the Cowboys and 2 Super Bowl titles before finishing his career in Tampa. So Everett did help shape NFL history with pivotal plays for The Team of the Decade in championship play. Still sleep on Everett? Watch this

Which brings us to ’87 5th round selection Hardy Nickerson… now where the underpaying Steelers for the 2nd straight year lost a defensive stalwart that wanted out. It was ’93 and free agency had come and where Pittsburgh brass didn’t value Nickerson, former Bengal Head Coach Sam Wyche who had faced him twice a year did signing him to play in Tampa. Yes the Tampa Bay Buccaneers who had just had their NFL record 10th straight season with double digit losses. Nickerson had played well like Everett and didn’t get the recognition nationally his counterparts Lloyd and Woodson had… so what did he do in Tampa?

Well… Nickerson became the centerpiece of Defensive Coordinator Floyd Peters’ 4-3 at Middle Linebacker and a terror was set loose. He became a sideline-to-sideline tracker and hit everything in sight. In ’93 he led the NFL in tackles with a leauge record 214 while making his 1st Pro Bowl and voted 1st team All Pro. It was only the 4th time a Tampa Bay defender was voted to the Pro Bowl in Hawai’i and the 2nd All Pro selection since the team’s inception in 1976.

His play was so dominant he broke the team season tackle record in a week 13 win over Chicago. There were still 3 games to go in 1993! So his 1st season ended with 214 tackles, recorded a sack, forced a fumble, recovered a fumble and had an interception.

Or think of it like this… he recorded 96 more tackles than his Hall of Fame teammate Derrick Brooks (118) recorded in ’02 when he was NFL Defensive Player of the Year. Chew on that for a second…

The Chancellor believes this spring boarded Nickerson into what was a Pro Football Hall of Fame career and shared this in a past article Nickerson for Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Nickerson went on to 4 All Pro selections and 5 Pro Bowls in 7 years and once finishing in the Top 10 in Defensive Player of The Year voting. His 4th and final All Pro & Pro Bowl selection came in ’99 when he led the NFL’s 3rd ranked defense to the NFC Championship Game. They were shutting down The Greatest Show on Turf beating them on the road 6-5 (really?) until 4:44 to go when Kurt Warner threw the winning touchdown. This was one of the greatest teams in history & Nickerson’s crew alomst kept them from Super Bowl XXXIV. In that game he had 6 tackles defensed a pass and had a timely interception.

With Kevin Greene after the Induction ceremony.

Why the center of the NFL’s Defensive Universe? The Steelers frugal ways are what kept us from seeing possibly the NFL’s best array of talent on one defense. Keep in mind by 1993 they became Blitzburgh when they signed free agent and Taylor Blitz Pro Football Hall of Fame article alumnus Kevin Greene to the fold. Greene led the NFL in sacks with 14 and went on to be the NFL’s All Time sack leader for a LB with 160. He made the Pro Bowl in 2 of his 3 years in The Blast Furnace and made 1 of his 3 career All Pros there.

Then again the Steelers went cheap and let Greene go to start a younger OLB in Jason Gildon. A damn good player but not the leader that Kevin was coming off that edge across from Lloyd.

For those of you keeping score at home –

Without adding 5 time Pro Bowl/4 time All Pro Strong Safety Carnell Lake & 3-time Pro Bowl and 2 time ILB Levon Kirkland these riches read off like a Madden All Star lineup that doesn’t appear real.

Woodson, Greene, Everett, Nickerson & Lloyd combined for 27 Pro Bowls, 17 All Pro Selections & 7 Top Ten votes for NFL Defensive Player of the Year in various seasons, 2 NFL sack champion totals and 2 enshrined in Canton. Yet the Steelers went cheap and robbed football fans of what would have been one of history’s finest defenses. These players matured into menaces and spread to every corner of the NFL as trained assassins. They were supposed to be the successor to Philadelphia’s Gang Green Defense and would have ruled the 1990s just as the 70’s Steelers dominated their era.

If we add Lake & Kirkland back in these defenders had 24 conference championship appearances 8 Super Bowl appearances winning 3 rings. Anchored by the 1987 Steeler draft class… just think about it:

  • Greene led the ’96 Panthers to the NFC Championship in their 2nd year leading the league in sacks again.
  • Nickerson was the 1st piece and building block for what would become Tampa Bay’s Super Bowl defense.
  • Everett was a defensive leader on The Team of The Decade winning 2 Super Bowls in Dallas.
  • Woodson’s HOF career saw him switch to Free Safety and play on The Chancellor’s 2nd best defense in NFL history. The 2000 Baltimore Ravens

 

TJ coming off in Kevin’s spot.

So Steeler fans hold your breath with the Steelers playing around with TJ Watt’s contract. They’ve been known to let Hall of Fame level talent go. Do you realize none of these great players finished their careers in Pittsburgh?? Uh oh TJ… and they traded hard hitting FS Minkah Fitzpatrick last week. Sigh… and now Steeler fans are losing it since he was a no-show at minicamp. Stay tuned!

 

Please lend your thoughts as well by writing in to the Pro Football Hall of Fame to the address below. Please be respectful and positively lend your voice:

Caught up to Lloyd in Canton.

Write & nominate Hardy Nickerson /Greg Lloyd / Carnell Lake
Send letters to:
Pro Football Hall of Fame
Attention Hall of Fame Selection Committee
2121 George Halas Dr NW, Canton,
OH 44708

Thanks for reading and please share the article.

Dedicated to the memories of Bill Nunn, Chuck Noll, Sam Wyche, Kevin Greene, & Floyd Peters

We have an update on TJ Watt on the 17th of August, a week after this article, he was signed to an extension. About time!

He is a PFHoFer, don’t play around with his contract. A dangerous game.

 

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Mike Holmgren Belongs In The Pro Football Hall of Fame

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There are several acccomplishments which set a coach apart where they reach the status as a coaching great. Of course winning a Super Bowl is the ultimate prize however when we look at the legacy of their coahing tree, PFHoF players the coach produces, and the ability to turn around a franchise. Mike Holmgren has soared every hurdle and has turned around 2 franchises.

Do you realize when Sterling Sharpe gives his speech this August, he’ll be the 6th player enshrined in Canton that played for Holmgren? That is 1 fewer than Tom Landry who coached Dallas 29 seasons and 2 less than Don Shula who coached for 33. Mike Holmgren was head coach in Green Bay & Seattle for just 17 seasons. The late Reggie White, Brett Favre, LeRoy Butler, T Walter Jones, & G Steve Hutchinson are the others with bronze busts.

Try this on… The Mike Holmgren coaching tree with branches Andy Reid, Jon Gruden, Steve Mariucci, Jim Mora Jr, & Tom Coughlin have gone on to take their teams to 22 conference championship games! This includes 6 Super Bowl Championships (XXXVII, XLII, XLVI. LIV, LVII, & LVIII) in 9 appearances. In contrast when you compare this to Hall of Fame Coach Bill Walsh, you have to include Holmgren’s 4 conference championship appearances just to make it to 13. You know the reverence Coach Walsh is kept here at Taylor Blitz but that is an astounding measure.

No other coach has had 3 staff members move on to become Super Bowl winning head coaches. Bill Walsh & Bill Parcells each had 2 but that is it. Not Jimmy Johnson, not Chuck Noll, not Bill Belichick, not George Seifert, not even Tom Landry. Keep in mind 5 of these coaches are already enshrined in Canton with Belichick eligible in 3 years.

He was also able to win in different fashions. He developed a young Brett Favre and won with his passing prowess featuring Hall of Fame receiver Sterling Sharpe. Sharpe set back to back NFL records for receptions in a season (1992 -108rec/1993 -112 rec) while Favre went on to be NFL MVP 3 straight years 1995-1997. He set NFC record with TD passes with 38 in ’95 & 39 in ’96. They were a pass first West Coast offense that leaned on the run to close out games.

Then in Seattle he leans on a bellcow running back Sean Alexander who wins the 2005 NFL MVP rushing for 1,880 yards with 28 rushing TDs. They made it to Super Bowl XL where several questionable calls kept Holmgren from becoming the 1st coach to win Super Bowls with 2 different franchises. He was “this” close…

2005 NFC Championship Trophy

Of course his most notable stop was resurrecting a Green Bay franchise that had been flat on its back since the Lombardi era in the 1960s. No coach could sustain excellence in what had become a desolate place where other coaches would use the threat of “sending” players off to Green Bay as a banishment. There is an NFL Films clip of the late John McKay saying this on the Buccaneer sideline. This was a team that had been 0-26!

In bringing the team to respectability from a competitive standpoint, his rise came at the advent of free agency at the beginning of the 1993 season. One of the principle arguments that persisted was ‘how could Green Bay attract black free agents?’ He was instrumental in landing the 1st prized free agent in Hall of Fame DE Reggie White. He actually pranked him by leaving a voicemail saying he “was Jesus and he should come to Green Bay.” He won over Reggie White when no pundit thought he had a snowballs chance to sign him.

That move attracted key black free agents TE Keith Jackson, WR Andre Rison, FS Eugene Robinson, DE Sean Jones who spearheaded Holmgren’s Super Bowl XXXI champion. Yes there were other great notable signings in WR Don Beebe, QB Jim McMahon, and FS Mike Prior but in ’92 while the players were suing for free agency Keith Jackson was the #1 free agent. Reggie White’s name was on the lawsuit and he was ’93s prize free agent every team was after. Holmgren charmed them both.

He needed them to get over the top after taking the Packers to 9-7, 9-7, 9-7 and 11-5 records 1992-1995. His 13-3 masterpiece returned the Vince Lombardi Trophy to Green Bay making Holmgren a legend:

His final two years in Green Bay, he was on the precipice of winning back to back Super Bowls when they charged into XXXII as a defending champion. Needless to say Holmgren’s team fell behind and he took the ball out of Dorsey Levens hands chronicled here

In 1998 the Packers entered the playoffs as a wildcard and lost in dramatic fashion to San Francisco 30-27 on a last second TD from Young to Owens. His final game as a Packer. I was disappointed he didnt win in XXXII and believe he would have been in Canton years ago had he gone back to back. Referee whistles and flags against his Seahawks in XL  withstanding… however as The Chancellor of Football I wanted to offer this piece.

For his career he is tied with Don Shula & George Seifert as the only head coaches to produce 4 NFL MVPs with Brett Favre (1995,96,97) & Shawn Alexander in 2005. Considering 2 of the MVPs won under Seifert, Joe Montana ’89 & ’90, Holmgren was the Offensive Coordinator calling those plays. Winning Super Bowls XXIII and XXIV. The latter a 55-10 blowout in one of the most artistic games ever called. Peyton Manning won his with 3 coaches & Aaron Rodgers won his with 2.

If you’re keeping score at home:

  1. Tied for producing the most NFL MVPs in history with 4.
  2. Coaching tree has produced 22 conference title appearances, 9 Super Bowl appearances winning 6.
  3. 4th in history producing PFHoF players with 6 & Shawn Alexander talk is heating up. Could tie Landry at 3.
  4. Had a 161-111 record as a head coach winning 1 Super Bowl, appearing in 2 more.
  5. Hired to be Packers HC after a 3 year run in SF as OC ’88, ’89, ’90 winning 2 Super Bowls and an NFC Championship Game.

This is the epitome of a Pro Football Hall of Fame coach! In multiple Super Bowls in multiple decades? He needs to be enshrined just as I said to him back in 2016 he would. Well…

Back in 2012 when he was enshrined in The Packers Hall of Fame I was upset Brett Favre wasn’t there as he was still at odds with the organization. By the midnight hour I wrote “The Chancellor’s Take: Green Bay Packers & Brett Favre’s Broken Relationship” pleading they get their act together as the time was coming to immortalize recently retired greats as Favre soon would be. Never once figuring I’d be able to witness history up close.

As fate would have it I attended the 2016 Pro Football Hall of Fame enshrinement ceremony as a guest of Kevin Greene, for penning a similar article for him years before. The Favre & Greene contingents were right in front of the stage. When the ceremony ended I walked toward the stage to congratulate Kevin for an awesome speech and hug his wife Tara who sang the national anthem…and right next to me was this old football coach… Mike Holmgren congratulating Favre on his. It was a surreal moment flashing me back to the 2012 Packers HOF ceremony… We greeted and as we were exiting toward the shuttles I told him to get ready as he had to prepare his speech. Of course he thanked me and gave a wry smile “maybe someday”… was gracious and gregarious as we chatted that evening.

Yet here we are and somehow this man hasn’t been ensrined. If this isn’t a Pro Football Hall of Fame resume I don’t know what one is. its time for the writers to put Mike Holmgren in the hallowed halls of Canton. He had my vote years ago…

For induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, I present to you Mike Holmgren!

Past Hall of Fame Articles:

Robert Brazile 2011 (inducted 2018)

Ran into Robert Brazile after the Gold Jacket Dinner. Great time.

Kevin Greene 2011 (inducted 2016)

With Kevin Greene after the Induction ceremony.

Sterling Sharpe 2011 (will be inducted 2025)

Terrell Davis 2011 (inducted 2017)

Jerry Kramer 2011 (inducted 2018)

“Hey big guy!” ’18 HOF

Everson Walls 2011

Randy Moss 2011 (inducted 2018)

Cris Carter 2011 (inducted 2013)

Tom Flores 2012 (inducted 2021)

Lester Hayes 2012

Chuck Foreman 2012

Edgerrin James 2013 (inducted 2020)

Andre Reed 2013 (inducted 2014) 

Roger Craig 2013

Corey Dillon 2014

Ken Riley 2015 (inducted 2023)

Ken Stabler 2015 (inducted 2016)

Drew Pearson 2016 (inducted 2021) 

Cliff Branch 2016 (inducted 2022)

Todd Christensen 2017

Hardy Nickerson 2020

Wilber Marshall 2024

Taylor Blitz Defensive Player of the Year 2024: Andrew Van Ginkel

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As we power toward the 2025 season, we have some unfinished business and its time to put it down on record although social media-wise many know who The Chancellor had selected: Viking Linebacker Andrew Van Ginkle.

At the start of 2024 many pundits had the Vikings finishing in the middle of the pack, having lost longtime QB Kirk Cousins and then rookie JJ McCarthy to a season ending knee injury. By the time  journeyman Sam Darnold took over at QB, no one knew what to make of this team or had a focal point Coach O’Connell could hang his hat on. Enter DC Brian Flores and his free agent LB he coached in Miami.

Here at Taylor Blitz we’ve chronicled defenses historically that thrive on speed, confusion and the ability to force turnovers. Defensive Coordinator Brian Flores is a Bill Belichick disciple and brought Fritz Shurmer’s Zone Blitzing/Amoeba principles to this Twin Cities defense. The Chancellor chronicled “The Eagle Defense” featuring Kevin Greene rom the LA Rams 89 playoff run.

Weakside OLB

Van Ginkel was a wildcard on the defense and it was showcased from game 1. He lined up at OLB in a 3-4, double A Gap blitzing LB, in a 3-3 Nickle Backer, and the only ‘backer inside in the dime defense (red dot) and he terrorized Daniel Jones all day.

Dime “A” Gap ‘Backer

He finished with 4 tackles 1 sack, 2 QB hits, 1 pass break up and a game clinching 3rd quarter pick 6 of a bubble screen to ballon the Vikings lead to 28-6. This time he was lined up at Outside Linebacker on the Strong Side. A sudden lightning strike that brought the boo-birds out in Giants Stadium

3-3 Strong Side Outside ‘Backer

This play galvanized the team infusing belief and confidence in the 1-0 Vikings & sent the Giants into the tailspin that ended Daniel Jones’ tenure in New York as a starting QB. Ironically it was Van Ginkel who knocked him out of a game the season before when he was with Miami… yet I digress.

He finished off New York when in the season’s 5th week the surprising Vikings (4-0)  took on the reeling uncertain Jets (2-2) in London. With a 3-0 lead and Aaron Rodgers driving, Van Ginkel struck from an interior rush position baiting him into a “hot read” interception he took back 63 yards for a TD that had the Vikings up 10-0. Panic and dread came over the Jets sideline as Minnesota went on to a 23-17 win.

Wait.. finish off New York? Yes. Jets Head Coach Robert Saleh was fired just two days later after a disappointing 2-3 start.

The Vikings headed into their bye week at 5-0 and the defense was leading the NFL in sacks and ranked 4th overall. Van Ginkel & company stayed on The Chancellor of Football’s radar throughout the year.

For the season Van Ginkel finished the season with 79 total tackles, 11 1/2 sacks, 18 tackles for loss and an additional 19 hits on the QB. He tied for the team lead in tackles for loss which leads to punts to end drives and was 2nd on the team by 1/2 a sack. However he had 2 season changing interceptions for touchdowns that catapulted him to a 2nd team All Pro selection.

National recognition by the sporting press usually comes a year after a player has achieved a status where that doesn’t happen here.

The Vikings finished with a middle of the pack defense (16th) however a closer look shows they were tied for 1st in turnovers forced (33) and finished 5th (49) in sacks. Going into the winner take all finale the Vikings were 14-2 and had given up a lot of garbage yards in their wins. If they gave up just 201 yards less for the season they finish in the top ten defensively.

I wish he had more than the 1 forced fumble but this was a well rounded performance and worthy of Taylor Blitz Times Defensive Player of the Year.

Other Notable Taylor Blitz Defensive Player of the Year

2023. TJ Watt – Pittsburgh Steelers

2022 Hasaan Reddick – Philadelphia Eagles

2021 TJ Watt – Pittsburgh Steelers

2020 Aaron Donald – LA Rams

2019 Shaq Barrett – Tampa Bay Bucs

 

2018 Khalil Mack – Chicago Bears

 

 

2017 Aaron Donald – LA Rams   

2016 Khalil Mack – Oakland Raiders

 

 

2015 Thomas Davis – Carolina Panthers

2014 J.J. Watt – Houston Texans

2013 Richard Sherman – Seattle Seahawks

2012 Navorro Bowman: San Francisco 49ers

2011 D’Qwell Jackson: Cleveland Browns

Idiots on Television & The Quarterbacks Need An Offensive Head Coach Argument

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Did you know Peyton Manning set the NFL record for points scored (606 points) passing yards (5,554) & touchdowns (55) while playing for defensive coach John Fox in 2013? Fox was the Defensive Coordinator for the NY Giants in 2000 when they went to Super Bowl XXXV.

Yet 13 years later he returned to Giants Stadium for Super Bowl XLVIII with a record setting Manning as his QB. Yet every time I turn around I hear Colin Cowherd & FS1 / ESPN talking heads state QBs have to have Offensive Coordinators as Head Coaches to get the most out of them. This has been b.s. from the word go and lets prove it to you and no… “that was a different era” argument is just a copout for one who is losing an argument.

Keep in mind all these Head Coaches were defensive position coaches with most rising through as Defensive Coordinators. Not only this but wait until I show you the NFL offensive records these coaches were a part of:

  • Peyton Manning from 1998-2001 played for Colts HC Jim Mora (Linebacker & DB Coach) then Tony Dungy (DB Coach) 2002-2008.
  • Tom Brady from from 2000-2019 played for Patriots HC Bill Belichick (Giants DC & LB Coach).
  • Warren Moon in The Run N Shoot rose to PFHOF status with HC Jack Pardee (former Charger DC & long time NFL Linebacker)
  • Dan Marino shattered NFL records for TDs (48) and yards (5,084) in ’84 playing for Don Shula (Former DB Coach Baltimore Colts)
  • Josh Allen just won NFL MVP in ’24 playing for Sean McDermott (Eagles DC & Panthers DC) accounting for 40 touchdowns.
  • Jayden Daniels won ’24 NFL Rookie of the Year taking Wash to the NFC Championship with Dan Quinn (DC Seattle, Atlanta, Dallas)
  • CJ Stroud won ’23 NFL Rookie of the Year winning 45-14 in the AFC Wildcard for HC DeMeco Ryans (DC 49ers)
  • Cam Newton won ’15 NFL MVP throwing 35TDs and rushing for 10 more taking HC Ron Rivera (DC Bears, Chargers) to Super Bowl L.
  • Lamar Jackson won ’19 & ’23 NFL MVP with Ravens HC John Harbaugh (DB & Special Teams Eagles).

Marino’s stats in 84 courtesy of CBS.

Aside from the 7 Super Bowls won from this list, you have 22 conference championship appearances, 12 NFL MVPs, and the last 3 single season passing TD record holders. Dan Marino ’84 (48TDs) Peyton Manning ’04 (49TDs), Tom Brady ’07 (50Tds) and as mentioned earlier Manning ’13 (55TDs). Keep in mind this isn’t accounting for Peyton’s Super Bowl XLIV run where he won league MVP under offensive HC Mike Caldwell and not Tony Dungy. Nor does this account for Brady’s 7th Super Bowl win with Bruce Arians.

So 3 of the last 5 NFL MVPs have played for defensive coaches and 2 of the 3 winningest coaches of all time Don Shula and Bill Belichick were defensive coaches. On top of that these two accounted for the only undefeated regular seasons in NFL history in 1972 & 2007. There were over 100 NFL records before counting 4 Super Bowl MVPs. Of those records the ’07 Patriots (589 points) & ’13 Broncos (606 points) are the highest scoring teams in NFL history. Not these so-called offensive gurus.

The Super Bowl champion Eagles & Kansas City Chiefs withstanding, the Bills, Ravens, Washington, and Houston Texans are all predicted to have late playoff runs. In fact the Bills and Commanders, on the strength of their offenses were in last year’s conference championship games with a defensive coach.

The issue is media laziness that pushes this narrative setting the climate where NFL Execs believe the noise they need the next “offensive mind”. A young innovative play caller with 800 pick plays that don’t work. I can remember Steve Spurrier “The Old Ball Coach” who was going to conquer the NFL. He got laughed out of the league in 2 years. Urban Meyer? Marc Trestman? Chip Kelly? All these gurus, even Sean McVay and his wizardry fell in Super Bowl LIII 13-3 to Bill Belichick’s Patriots. Remember that?? They lined up in the “I” Formation and ran it down the Rams throats.

Championship Gatorade Bath in ’21

Its cheating the game as defensive coaches know that balance is what wins football games. Taylor Blitz is pulling for Aaron Glenn in New York to have a great career with the Jets. I want to see and hear the pathway for former Jet Linebacker Marvin “Shade Tree” Jones to move up to the NFL ranks. He is head coach of the Tulsa Oilers just a few seasons removed from winning the ’21 Indoor Football League Championship with Omaha Beef. This is a league with a wide open style of offense and showcases his chops to adust philosophy to a different style of play then what he emerged from as a player.

This isn’t new as I mentioned Houston Oiler Coach Jack Pardee earlier. Keep in mind he was a 15 year Middle Linebacker in the NFL. As a coach he ushered in The Run & Shoot offense in the NFL that eliminated the position he played for most defenses that faced his Oilers! Opponents routinely deployed 7 defensive backs and no Middle Linebacker.

One aspect of this issue is this is being done to keep the NFL coaching ranks from having too many black coaches. I’ve written about this before back in ’22 “The Media’s Role Selectively Omitting Genius of Black Coordinators” where media is a willing partner nefariously working toward this narrative. In the same manner we saw Shedeur Sanders name tainted in NFL circles before the draft, we saw this with the way 2 time Super Bowl champion Offensive Coordinator Eric Bienemy was “sidelined” with his coverage in his head coaching search.

So the next time you hear the b.s. narrative and why defensive coaches don’t win, remind whoever the highest scoring teams in league history and all the NFL’s passing records came from QBs led by defensive coaches. The reigning NFL MVP & the last 2 Rookie of the Year recipients are quarterbacks on defensive coach’s teams as well.

If I hear it again, I’m throwing a brick through my television and suing FS1 or ESPN for damages.

Thanks for reading and please share the article.

By the way… I didn’t even bring up Mike Tomlin (Tampa DB Coach) 18 non-losing seasons in Pittsburgh, Jimmy Johnson HC in Dallas (DC and Defensive Line Coach) or Bill Cowher 16 seasons in Pittsburgh (DC with Chiefs/Special Teams Browns) which brings you another 4 Super Bowl championships in 6 appearances. Now if I throw in Tom Landry HC in Dallas (DC New York Giants) it goes up to 6 more Lombardis and 10 total Super Bowl visits.

Ok… I’m done… bring your argument… wait Chuck Noll of the Steelers was DC for Baltimore Colts who lost Super Bowl III.

Now… I’m done. Walk your weak ass argument on over.

Barring injury Ashton Jeanty will be after Dickerson’s rookie rushing record.

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2025 NFL Draft: Can Ashton Jeanty Reach Eric Dickerson’s Rookie Record of 1,808 Yards??

2025 NFL Draft: Can Ashton Jeanty Reach Eric Dickerson’s Rookie Record of 1,808 Yards??
2025 NFL Draft: Can Ashton Jeanty Reach Eric Dickerson’s Rookie Record of 1,808 Yards??