George Seifert

Last updated

George Seifert
Personal information
Born: (1940-01-22) January 22, 1940 (age 84)
San Francisco, California, U.S.
Career information
High school: San Francisco Polytechnic
College: Utah
Career history
As a coach:
Career highlights and awards
As a head coach
As an assistant coach
Head coaching record
Regular season:114–62 (.648)
Postseason:10–5 (.667)
Career:124–67 (.649)
Record at Pro Football Reference
Executive profile at Pro Football Reference

George Gerald Seifert (born January 22, 1940) is an American former football coach. He served as the head coach for the San Francisco 49ers [1] and the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League (NFL). [2] Seifert owned the second-greatest winning percentage in NFL history by a head coach at the time of his resignation as the 49ers head coach, second to Guy Chamberlin. [3] Among coaches with at least 100 wins, his winning percentage is fifth best in football history.

Contents

Early career

Seifert was born and raised in San Francisco and ushered at 49ers home games at Kezar Stadium while he attended San Francisco Polytechnic High School across the street. [4] He attended the University of Utah, playing guard and linebacker for the Utes. He served as graduate assistant at his alma mater for a year before being hired as head coach of Westminster College in Salt Lake City at age 25, [5] where he led the Parsons to a 3–3 record.

After working as an assistant at the University of Iowa, the University of Oregon, and Stanford University, [6] Seifert was hired as head coach at Cornell University, then fired in November 1976 after going 3–15 (.167) in two seasons. [7] [8] He then returned to Stanford in 1977, where he met Bill Walsh. When Walsh moved to the 49ers in 1979, Seifert joined his coaching staff the following year as the team's defensive backs coach. Seifert was promoted to defensive coordinator in 1983.

As a 49er assistant, Seifert defenses finished in the top ten in fewest points allowed in each of his six seasons in that capacity: fourth in 1983, first in 1984, second in 1985, third in 1986 and 1987, and eighth in 1988. His final two defenses, 1987 and 1988, finished first and third in fewest yards allowed, respectively.

Head coaching career

San Francisco 49ers (1989–1996)

On Seifert's 49th birthday, the 49ers won Super Bowl XXIII. Four days later, on January 26, 1989, Seifert was promoted to succeed Walsh as 49ers head coach as Walsh moved to the front office; owner Edward J. DeBartolo Jr. wanted a "name coach" but Walsh's push for Seifert won out, which happened as the Cleveland Browns wanted to interview Seifert for the job. [9] [10] He would soon be characterized as a coach with intense focus and superstition, whether that involved bluntness or not walking across the 49ers helmet spraypainted on the practice turf. Seifert coached his first game as a head coach against the Indianapolis Colts and saw a 30–24 victory that got the ball rolling for a dominant season. Bolstered by an MVP season from Joe Montana to go with a highly ranked defense, the 49ers went 14–2 (losing those two games by a combined total of five points) to clinch the #1 seed in the playoffs. They crushed their opponents in the Divisional Round and NFC championship to reach Super Bowl XXIV. They blew out the Denver Broncos 55–10, the worst defeat for a team in Super Bowl history; that Niners team is considered one of the best ever. Seifert was the first rookie head coach to win the Super Bowl since Don McCafferty in Super Bowl V. [11]

The 1990 team tried to return to the Super Bowl for a possible "three-peat", which started with ten straight wins to start the season. They roared to the end of the year with a record of 14–2, handily above the second seed New York Giants. The two teams would meet in the NFC Championship at Candlestick Park for a highly contested defensive affair; the teams were tied 6–6 at halftime. Montana was knocked out of the game on a rough hit while trying to preserve a 13–9 lead in which New York did not score a touchdown, but a late Roger Craig fumble got the Giants another chance and they drove down the field to kick a game-winning field goal and end the 49ers season; it was only the second postseason loss at home since 1981. As it would turn out, it was the last postseason game for Montana and Craig as 49ers, as an elbow injury knocked Montana out of 1991 and most of 1992 and Craig left in free agency. Steve Young went on to become the starting quarterback for the Niners, with Montana getting traded in 1993.

The 1991 season saw the departure of Craig and Ronnie Lott. The 49ers lost four of their first six games. A narrow 10–3 loss to the New Orleans Saints had the team at 4–6. From that point, the 49ers won the last six games in a row, but in the last game of the year, they did not control their playoff hopes. Atlanta held the tiebreaker with their two wins over San Francisco to sneak in as the sixth seed, while New Orleans had 11 wins to win the division. San Francisco missed the playoffs for the first time since 1982.

The 1992 team (where Seifert ceded a portion of the playcalling on offense to his coordinator) saw the Niners engage in history with the "No Punt Game" against the Buffalo Bills in a 34–31 loss. It was one of only two losses for the team that year as the Niners won eight straight games to close out the regular season with the #1 seed at 14–2, as Steve Young went on to be named the league's MVP. The 49ers rolled over Washington to reach the NFC Championship against the Dallas Cowboys in San Francisco. A four turnover day could not be overcome as Dallas took the lead in the second quarter and never let go in a 30–20 victory.

The 1993 team went to the NFC Championship for the fifth time in the last six seasons, although they had a shaky start, winning three of their first six games. They ran off six straight wins to get to 9–3 before stumbling onto one win in their last four games, ranking as the #2 seed. They won the Divisional playoff game but had to go to #1 seed Dallas for the NFC Championship, where Dallas scored 21 second quarter points in a 38–21 rout.

Seifert and the Niners had a tremendous 1994 season that saw Young win another MVP award with a historic passer rating (112.8), as the team scored a franchise record 505 points. They went 13–3 and dominated their competition in the playoffs, with the closest game being a 38–28 victory over Dallas in the NFC Championship. The 49–26 victory over the San Diego Chargers in Super Bowl XXIX was historic as Young threw for six touchdown passes, and Seifert became one of few coaches with multiple Super Bowl championships.

The 1995 and 1996 seasons saw San Francisco reach the postseason each time only to lose to the Green Bay Packers in the Divisional Round, the latter being a 35–14 rout on the road. Walsh had been hired as an offensive assistant prior to the 1996 season, which had been seen in some way as a sign of Seifert's vulnerability as head coach, and he himself thought the year would be like 1994 as "another live-or-die season" (the previous year, he had let defensive coordinator Pete Carroll have the responsibilities of the defense). [12] Despite owning the best winning percentage of any NFL head coach in the league's history, 49ers management did not offer an extension on Seifert's contract. 49ers team president Carmen Policy desired to hire California head coach Steve Mariucci to the same position in the 49ers organization. Policy offered Seifert the opportunity to remain head coach for the final year of his contract, with Mariucci serving as offensive coordinator and head coach-in-waiting. Seifert then resigned. [3] [13] His 98 wins are still the most in franchise history.

Carolina Panthers (1999–2001)

After two years out of the game, Seifert was hired by the Carolina Panthers as head coach. He was also de facto general manager; the Panthers had not had a general manager since Bill Polian's departure in 1997. [14] During his first training camp with the Panthers, he told his players that they should not act like wildebeests. He explained that wildebeests usually give up when caught by a lion. "Don't be that wildebeest," he said. "Don't give up." [15]

In his first season, Seifert led the Panthers to an 8–8 record, a four-game improvement from 1998. The most notable play of that year came when quarterback Steve Beuerlein scored a game-winning touchdown on a fourth-and-five quarterback draw with five seconds left in the fourth quarter to defeat the Green Bay Packers. [16] The Panthers went into the final day of the regular season in contention for a playoff berth; however, their victory margin over the New Orleans Saints needed to be 18 points greater than the Packers' margin over the Arizona Cardinals in order to make the playoffs. While the Panthers routed the Saints 45–13, the Packers beat the Cardinals 49–24, leaving the Packers ahead on point differential and eliminating the Panthers.

The Panthers were competitive for most of 2000 as well but needed to win their season finale against the Oakland Raiders to finish at .500. Instead, the Raiders won in a 52–9 rout, still one of the most lopsided losses in Carolina history, and the Panthers finished with a 7–9 record. [17]

Seifert presided over the 2001 NFL draft, which netted the Panthers Steve Smith and Kris Jenkins, two cornerstones of the franchise. Seifert made the push to not retain Beuerlein as the starting quarterback, instead going with Jeff Lewis (signed in 1999) as the intended starter. However, Lewis struggled mightily in the preseason, leading Seifert to cut Lewis before the season even started, as 29-year-old rookie quarterback Chris Weinke was tabbed to start for the team. In the first game of the season, they pulled off a shocking upset of the defending NFC Central champion Minnesota Vikings, winning 24–13. [18] [17] They followed up that impressive victory by losing every game the rest of the year, finishing at 1–15 (with nine losses by eight points or less), the worst record in franchise history. [19] The 15 consecutive losses were an NFL record for futility until the 2008 Detroit Lions went 0–16. The Panthers' final two games were played before what are still the two smallest crowds in franchise history (in terms of turnstile count), including a 38–6 loss to the New England Patriots that drew only 21,000 people. After the game, Seifert announced that he was planning to return for the 2002 season. Team owner Jerry Richardson had other plans, however, firing Seifert the following day. Richardson stated that the energy "has been sucked out of our organization and our fan base. In my opinion, we had no alternative.” [20] Wesley Walls, who played for Seifert in both San Francisco and Carolina, stated that Seifert lacked a cohesive leadership in the locker room with the Panthers, saying that when the team started to get worse, "we felt like he kind of disappeared a little bit from us", while not placing the blame fully on Seifert. For his part, Seifert said he had no hard feelings or regrets about how his tenure went down in Carolina, only wishing they had won more games. [21] [22]

Seifert is the first head coach since the implementation of the 16-game schedule in place from 1978 to 2020 to guide a team to 15 consecutive losses following a Week 1 victory. Seifert's dubious distinction would be matched by Doug Marrone of the 2020 Jacksonville Jaguars. [23]

Entering the 2024 season, Seifert, Matt Rhule (2020–2022), and Frank Reich (2023) are the only Panthers coaches to have never had a winning season nor coached a playoff game.

Head coaching record

National Football League

TeamYearRegular SeasonPost Season
WonLostTiesWin %FinishWonLostWin %Result
SF 1989 1420.8751st in NFC West301.000 Super Bowl XXIV champions
SF 1990 1420.8751st in NFC West11.500Lost to New York Giants in NFC Championship Game
SF 1991 1060.6253rd in NFC West————
SF 1992 1420.8751st in NFC West11.500Lost to Dallas Cowboys in NFC Championship Game
SF 1993 1060.6251st in NFC West11.500Lost to Dallas Cowboys in NFC Championship Game
SF 1994 1330.8131st in NFC West301.000 Super Bowl XXIX champions
SF 1995 1150.6881st in NFC West01.000Lost to Green Bay Packers in NFC Divisional Game
SF 1996 1240.7502nd in NFC West11.500Lost to Green Bay Packers in NFC Divisional Game
SF Total98300.766105.667
CAR 1999 880.5002nd in NFC West————
CAR 2000 790.4383rd in NFC West————
CAR 2001 1150.0625th in NFC West————
CAR Total16320.333———
Total [24] 114620.648105.667

College

YearTeamOverallConferenceStandingBowl/playoffs
Westminster Parsons (Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference)(1965)
1965Westminster3–3
Westminster:3–3
Cornell Big Red (Ivy League)(1975–1976)
1975 Cornell 1–80–78th
1976 Cornell 2–72–5T–5th
Cornell:3–152–12
Total:6–18

Broadcasting stint

CBS Sports hired Seifert to serve as a panelist for The NFL Today in its first season after CBS regained NFL broadcast rights (for the AFC) in 1998. His performance was not well received, however, and the network removed him before the end of the regular season. [25]

Personal life

Seifert currently resides in Bodega Bay, California and Incline Village, Nevada [26] with his wife Linda. They have two children, Eve and Jason. [27]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bill Walsh (American football coach)</span> American football coach (1931–2007)

William Ernest Walsh was an American professional and college football coach. He served as head coach of the San Francisco 49ers and the Stanford Cardinal, during which time he popularized the West Coast offense. After retiring from the 49ers, Walsh worked as a sports broadcaster for several years and then returned as head coach at Stanford for three seasons.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">San Francisco 49ers</span> National Football League franchise in Santa Clara, California

The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in the San Francisco Bay Area. The 49ers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) West division. The team plays its home games at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California, located 38 miles (61 km) southeast of San Francisco. The team is named after the prospectors who arrived in Northern California in the 1849 Gold Rush.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Steve Mariucci</span> American football coach and analyst

Stephen Ray Mariucci, nicknamed "Mooch", is an American sportscaster and former football coach who was the head coach of two National Football League (NFL) teams, the San Francisco 49ers (1997–2002) and the Detroit Lions (2003–2005), and for a year at the University of California, Berkeley.

The West Coast offense is an offense in American football that places a greater emphasis on passing than on running.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mike Holmgren</span> American football player, coach, and executive (born 1948)

Michael George Holmgren is an American former football coach and executive in the National Football League (NFL). He began his NFL career as a quarterbacks' coach and later as an offensive coordinator with the San Francisco 49ers, where they won Super Bowls XXIII and XXIV. He served as the head coach of the Green Bay Packers from 1992 to 1998, where he won Super Bowl XXXI, and of the Seattle Seahawks from 1999 to 2008. His last role in the NFL was as team president of the Cleveland Browns from 2010 to 2012. Prior to his career in the NFL, Holmgren coached football at the high school and collegiate levels.

Raymond Earl Rhodes is a former American football player and coach. Rhodes played wide receiver and cornerback for the New York Giants and the San Francisco 49ers. He served as the head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles and the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League (NFL), as well as the former assistant defensive backs coach of the Houston Texans. He earned five Super Bowl rings as an assistant coach with the San Francisco 49ers, and was named Coach of the Year by the Associated Press in 1995, his first season as Eagles head coach. He last served as the senior defensive assistant for the Cleveland Browns.

Brent Michael Jones is an American former professional football player, business executive, businessman, coach, and sports analyst. As a player, he was a tight end for the San Francisco 49ers during his entire 11-year career in the National Football League (NFL) from 1987 to 1997. Jones is listed among the top players in franchise history, and helped revolutionize the concept of the pass-catching tight end.

This article details the history of the New Orleans Saints, an American football team in the NFL, which was organized in 1967 and is based in New Orleans, Louisiana.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kyle Shanahan</span> American football coach (born 1979)

Kyle Michael Shanahan is an American professional football coach who is the head coach of the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League (NFL). He came to prominence as the offensive coordinator for the Atlanta Falcons, whose offense in 2016 led the league in points scored and helped the team reach Super Bowl LI. Shanahan became the head coach of the 49ers the following season, leading the team to three division titles, four postseason appearances, four NFC Championship Game appearances, and two Super Bowl appearances.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jim Caldwell (American football)</span> American football player and coach (born 1955)

James Caldwell is an American football coach who is a senior assistant for the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League (NFL). He previously served as the head coach of the Indianapolis Colts from 2009 to 2011 and Detroit Lions from 2014 to 2017. As an assistant coach, Caldwell was the assistant head coach and quarterbacks coach for the Colts team that won Super Bowl XLI and the offensive coordinator for the Baltimore Ravens team that won Super Bowl XLVII.

The 1996 season was the Green Bay Packers' 76th season in the National Football League (NFL), their 78th overall and their fifth under head coach Mike Holmgren. The franchise won its third Super Bowl and league-record 12th NFL Championship. The Packers posted a league-best 13–3 regular season win-loss record, going 8–0 at home and 5–3 on the road. It was the first time since 1962 that the team went undefeated at home. Additionally, the Packers had the NFL's highest-scoring offense (456) and allowed the fewest points on defense (210). Green Bay was the first team to accomplish both feats in the same season since the undefeated 1972 Miami Dolphins. They finished the season with the number one ranked offense, defense, and special teams. They also set a then NFL record for the fewest touchdowns allowed in a 16-game season, with 19. The Packers also allowed the fewest yards in the NFL and set a record for punt return yardage. Brett Favre won his second straight MVP award while also throwing for a career-high and league-leading 39 touchdown passes.

This article details the history of the Arizona Cardinals American football club, which can be traced to the 1898 formation of the amateur Morgan Athletic Club in Chicago. The Cardinals are the oldest extant professional football club in the United States, and along with the Chicago Bears, are one of two charter members of the National Football League still in existence. The franchise moved from Chicago to St. Louis in 1960 and to Phoenix, Arizona, in 1988.

The Carolina Panthers' history formally dates back to 1993, when the NFL awarded the franchise to Charlotte, North Carolina. The Panthers, along with the Jacksonville Jaguars, began play in the 1995 NFL season as expansion teams. They have played in Charlotte since 1996, winning six division titles and two NFC Championships. The Panthers were the first NFL franchise based in the Carolinas and the second professional sports team based in Charlotte, the first being the NBA's Charlotte Hornets.

The San Francisco 49ers are the first major league professional sports franchise to be based in San Francisco, and one of the first professional sports teams based on the West Coast of the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2001 Carolina Panthers season</span> NFL team season

The 2001 Carolina Panthers season was the franchise's 7th season in the National Football League (NFL) and the 3rd and final under head coach George Seifert. They tried to improve upon their 7–9 record in 2000, and make it to the playoffs for the second time in franchise history; however, the Panthers instead suffered one of the worst seasons in NFL history, en route to going 1–15.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1997 San Francisco 49ers season</span> NFL team season

The 1997 San Francisco 49ers season was the franchise's 48th season in the National Football League (NFL) and their 52nd overall. The team appeared in the NFC Championship Game for the fifth time in the 1990s. This season marked the 49ers' last appearance in the NFC title game until the 2011 season as well as the last time that they clinched the number 1 seed with home-field advantage throughout the playoffs until the 2019 season. The team's playoff run was ended by the Green Bay Packers for the third straight season.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1996 San Francisco 49ers season</span> NFL team season

The 1996 San Francisco 49ers season was the club's 51st since its inception. In commemoration, the 49ers wore a special 50th anniversary patch. They also wore a new uniform reminiscent of the 1994 throwback uniforms with white pants and shadowed numbers, but with a darker shade of red and an updated logo. The franchise tied for first place in the NFC West with a 12–4 record, but lost the division title to the Carolina Panthers on the division-record tiebreaker. The 49ers ranked 3rd in the league in points scored and 4th in fewest points allowed.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">49ers–Packers rivalry</span> American football rivalry

The 49ers–Packers rivalry is an American football rivalry between the San Francisco 49ers and the Green Bay Packers. As the 49ers play in the NFC West, and the Packers play in the NFC North, both teams do not play every year; instead, they play once every three years and at least once every six seasons at each team's home stadium due to the NFL's rotating division schedules during which their divisions are paired up. Additionally, not only both teams could meet in the playoffs, but also if they finish in the same place in their respective divisions, they would play the ensuing season. The rivalry became prominent during the 1990s, as the Brett Favre-led Packers defeated the Steve Young-led 49ers in three of four playoff meetings. In the 2005 NFL draft, the 49ers selected Alex Smith with the first overall selection, passing on northern California native Aaron Rodgers; Green Bay later selected Rodgers with the 24th pick. Since Rodgers became the Packers' starter in 2008, the Packers and 49ers met in the playoffs five times, four with Rodgers, though the 49ers have won all five of these meetings.

References

  1. ↑ "49ers Select Mariucci As Seifert's Successor". The New York Times. Associated Press. January 17, 1997. Retrieved October 23, 2010.
  2. ↑ Associated Press (January 4, 1999). "FOOTBALL: N.F.L. NOTEBOOK". New York Times. Retrieved October 23, 2010.
  3. 1 2 Simers, T.J. (January 16, 1997). "Seifert Leaves 49ers With Bear of a Coach". Los Angeles Times .
  4. ↑ Fowler, Scott (November 9, 2013). "Seifert has no hard feelings toward Carolina, but wishes he had won more". The Charlotte Observer . Retrieved January 30, 2020.
  5. ↑ Telander, Rick (January 29, 1990). "Bumpy Road to Success". Sports Illustrated . Retrieved December 14, 2013.
  6. ↑ "Seifert builds own image". Times Daily. Florence, Alabama. Associated Press. January 21, 1990. Retrieved October 23, 2010.
  7. ↑ "Seifert thumbed". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). Associated Press. November 16, 1976. p. 16.
  8. ↑ Nissenson, Herschel (December 7, 1976). "Blackman Is Returning To Ivy League (Cornell)". The Argus-Press. Retrieved October 23, 2010.
  9. ↑ Sell, Dave (January 27, 1989). "49ERS NAME SEIFERT TO REPLACE WALSH". Washington Post. ISSN   0190-8286 . Retrieved February 1, 2024.
  10. ↑ Miller, Johnny (January 24, 2014). "With Browns in pursuit, 49ers make Seifert head coach, 1989". SFGATE. Retrieved February 1, 2024.
  11. ↑ "ESPN.com: Page 2 : The Ultimate Super Rankings". www.espn.com. Retrieved February 1, 2024.
  12. ↑ Silver, Michael. "CAPTAIN HOOKED GEORGE SEIFERT, THE 49ERS' ULTRA-FOCUSED COACH, IS TRYING TO LIGHTEN UP, BUT THE PRESSURE IS ON HIM TO LAND ANOTHER TITLE". Sports Illustrated Vault | SI.com. Retrieved February 1, 2024.
  13. ↑ Weiner, Richard (January 16, 1997). "49ers' Seifert Resigns; Cal Coach Set to Step In". The New York Times . Retrieved January 30, 2020.
  14. ↑ Fowler, Scott. "Seifert has no hard feelings toward Carolina, but wishes he had won more". The Charlotte Observer. Retrieved February 19, 2020.
  15. ↑ Fowler, Scott (2004). Tales from the Carolina Panthers Sideline. Sports Publishing LLC. ISBN   1582618356.
  16. ↑ "Panthers Stun Packers". CBS News. CBS Interactive Inc. December 12, 1999. Retrieved February 19, 2020.
  17. 1 2 "2000 nfl final standings - Google Search". www.google.com.
  18. ↑ Observer, Pat Yasinskas, The Charlotte. "Panthers spike Vikings STUNNER: Weinke impressive as underdog Carolina downs Minnesota at Metrodome NFL Week 1 Smith kickoff return set the tone early". Spartanburg Herald Journal.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  19. ↑ "CAROLINA PANTHERS 2001 SCHEDULE". nfl.com. NFL Enterprises, LLC. Retrieved February 19, 2020.
  20. ↑ "Seifert fired by Panthers after 1–15 season". Quad-City Times . Davenport, Iowa. Associated Press. January 7, 2002. Retrieved January 30, 2020.
  21. ↑ "Wesley Walls explains why George Seifert failed in Carolina". 247Sports. Retrieved February 1, 2024.
  22. ↑ "Seifert has no hard feelings toward Carolina, but wishes he had won more" . Retrieved February 1, 2024.
  23. ↑ Barney, Justin (January 4, 2021). "Jaguars end worst season ever with 15th straight loss". WJXT. Retrieved August 10, 2022.
  24. ↑ "George Seifert Record, Statistics, and Category Ranks". Pro-Football-Reference.com.
  25. ↑ "TV SPORTS; Seifert Nudged Aside, But Will He Be Alone?". The New York Times. December 15, 1998. Retrieved November 24, 2021.
  26. ↑ Branch, Eric. "George Seifert, long a fan, revels in 49ers' success". SFGATE. Retrieved February 6, 2024.
  27. ↑ Oates, Bob (December 8, 1992). "Seifert Has Background for 49ers : He Avoids the Limelight That Walsh Once Enjoyed, but the Success is the Same". Los Angeles Times . Retrieved October 17, 2024.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.