Personal information | |
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Born: | Riverside, California, U.S. | August 2, 1935
Died: | July 27, 2019 83) Encinitas, California, U.S. | (aged
Career information | |
College: | San Diego State |
Career history | |
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Player stats at PFR | |
Coaching stats at PFR |
Tom Bass ( August 2, 1935 - July 27, 2019) was an 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 Jose 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 the only full-time assistant under Don Coryell. He later worked on the Chargers staff with Sid Gillman, coaching QB's with John Hadl, he was the first Coach hired by Coach Paul Brown on the inaugural Bengals staff, 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 to 1981. He left Tampa Bay before the 1982 NFL season to join the Chargers, tasked with improving their league-last pass defense.
In 1992, he was hired by the New England Patriots as their Vice President of Pro Personnel and Player Assistance. [1] He was not retained after the season.
He was also noted for teaching clinics to help female fans understand the game of football, and for having written two volumes of poetry. [2] [3] [4] He has published several books of football drills and instructional techniques. [5]
He died in his home in Encinitas on July 27, 2019. [6]
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.
Ronald Wolf is the former American football general manager (GM) of the National Football League (NFL)'s Green Bay Packers. Wolf is widely credited with bringing success to a Packers franchise that had rarely won during the two decades prior to Wolf joining the organization. He also played a significant role in personnel operations with the Oakland and Los Angeles Raiders from 1963 to 1975 and again from 1978 to 1990. He joined Green Bay's front office in November 1991 from a personnel director's job with the New York Jets. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in August 2015.
Monte George Kiffin is an American football coach. He is currently a player personnel analyst at Ole Miss for his son, Lane Kiffin. He is widely considered to be one of the preeminent defensive coordinators in modern football, as well as one of the greatest defensive coordinators in NFL history. Father of the widely imitated "Tampa 2" defense, Kiffin's concepts are among the most influential in modern college and pro football.
Gill Arnette Byrd is an American former professional football player who was a cornerback for the San Diego Chargers of the National Football League (NFL). He was a two-time Pro Bowl selection in 1991 and 1992 for the Chargers after graduating from San Jose State University. Byrd was inducted into the Chargers Hall of Fame in 1998. He was an All-City running back and defensive back at Lowell High School, helping to lead the Cardinals to the city championship in his senior season of 1978.
Hardy Otto Nickerson Sr. is an American former football coach and professional player. He played as linebacker for four teams over 16 seasons, from 1987 to 2002, in the National Football League (NFL). Nickerson spent the prime of his career with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The hiring of head coaches Sam Wyche and Tony Dungy allowed Nickerson to play in the middle in a 4–3 defense for both coaches; Nickerson played in a 3–4 defense with the Pittsburgh Steelers. While playing in the 4–3, Nickerson went to five Pro Bowls, and was selected for the National Football League 1990s All-Decade Team.
Todd Washington is an American football coach and former offensive lineman who is the assistant offensive line coach for the Jacksonville Jaguars of the National Football League (NFL). He previously served as an assistant coach for the New York Jets, Orlando Apollos, Baltimore Ravens, Hartford Colonials and the University of San Diego.
Mark Duffner is an American football coach who is the senior defensive assistant for the Cincinnati Bengals of the National Football League (NFL). Duffner served as the head coach of the Maryland Terrapins football team from 1992 to 1996.
Theodore John Cottrell is an American football coach and former player. He was formerly the defensive coordinator for the Buffalo Bills, New York Jets, Minnesota Vikings, and the San Diego Chargers in the National Football League (NFL). In 2009, he served as head coach for the New York Sentinels of the United Football League (UFL). Ten years later, he was the linebackers coach for the Birmingham Iron of the Alliance of American Football (AAF), and worked as the defensive coordinator for the Houston Roughnecks of the XFL in 2020.
Kevin Lesley Ross is a former American football cornerback and safety and the current cornerbacks coach for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Ross was drafted in the 7th round of the 1984 NFL Draft with the 173rd overall selection by the Kansas City Chiefs, where he spent his first 10 seasons. He also played two seasons with the Atlanta Falcons, one year with the San Diego Chargers, then returned to the Chiefs for one season in 1997.
Carlos Devonn Polk is an American football coach and former linebacker who is the assistant special teams coach for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League (NFL). He previously served as an assistant coach for the Jacksonville Jaguars, Dallas Cowboys, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, San Diego Chargers and Grossmont College.
Joe Barry is an American football coach who is the defensive coordinator for the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League (NFL). He previously served as the assistant head coach and linebackers coach for the Los Angeles Rams from 2017 to 2020 and defensive coordinator for the Washington Commanders from 2015 to 2016 and the Detroit Lions from 2007 to 2008. Barry also previously served as an assistant coach for the San Diego Chargers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and San Francisco 49ers. Barry is the son of former coach Mike Barry.
Jay Michael Gruden is an American football coach and former quarterback. He previously served as the head coach of the Washington Redskins from 2014 to 2019 and as offensive coordinator for the Cincinnati Bengals and Jacksonville Jaguars. During his time in the Arena Football League (AFL), he won four ArenaBowls as a player and two more as a head coach. Gruden is the younger brother of former NFL head coach Jon Gruden and was an assistant coach of the 2002 Buccaneers team that won Super Bowl XXXVII.
Todd Robert Bowles is an American football coach and former player who is the head coach for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League (NFL). He previously served as the head coach of the New York Jets. Bowles has also served as the defensive coordinator of the Arizona Cardinals and Buccaneers and as the secondary coach for the New York Jets, Cleveland Browns, Dallas Cowboys, Miami Dolphins, and Philadelphia Eagles. Bowles played eight seasons in the NFL as a safety, primarily for the Washington Redskins, and started in Super Bowl XXII.
Raheem Morris is an American football coach who is the defensive coordinator for the Los Angeles Rams of the National Football League (NFL). He previously served as head coach for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 2009 to 2011 and interim head coach for the Atlanta Falcons in 2020. Morris also was an assistant coach for the Falcons, Washington Redskins, and the Buccaneers.
The 1976 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season was the franchise's first season in the National Football League (NFL). The Buccaneers' played their home games at Tampa Stadium and their inaugural head coach was John McKay. The Buccaneers gained infamy as the first team to play an entire 14-game season without winning or tying a single game. With the NFL going to a 16-game schedule in 1978, this became the only time any team ever finished 0–14. The Buccaneers did not score until their third game and did not score a touchdown until their fourth. They lost by more than a touchdown eleven times. Colorful, maverick former USC coach McKay, whose wisecracking remarks occasionally agitated fans and the league, led the team. The only bright spot was future Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee Lee Roy Selmon, who made his rookie debut in an injury-plagued season.
The 1982 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season was the franchise's 7th season in the National Football League the 7th playing their home games at Tampa Stadium and the 7th under head coach John McKay. The Bucs were regarded for the first time as a regular playoff contender. They were considered by some to be the best Buccaneer team yet, despite a mediocre offensive line and the lack of a feature running back. The team played only two games before the players' union called a labor strike, which resulted in a nine-game season. The season began with a three-game losing streak, as the Buccaneers outplayed their opponent statistically in each game, but showed a tendency for mental errors at crucial moments. The first game in which they were outgained by their opponent was their first win, a franchise-first victory over the Miami Dolphins on Monday Night Football. The team made a playoff run against a difficult schedule, facing only two opponents with losing records. Their schedule included all four eventual Conference Championship participants. They overcame double-digit deficits to win on last-minute field goals in their final two games, and had to survive opponents' last-minute rallies in all five of their victories. In the strike-season playoff format in which the top eight conference teams made the playoffs, the Buccaneers' seventh-place finish gave them a first-round matchup with the Dallas Cowboys. Despite a poor performance by the offense, the Buccaneers carried a 17–16 lead into the fourth quarter, before the Cowboys rallied for a 30–17 victory following a controversial penalty call. This was the last playoff appearance of the John McKay era, and was followed by fourteen consecutive losing seasons.
Steven Bernard Wilks is an American football coach and former player who is the defensive coordinator for the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League (NFL). He was the head coach for the Arizona Cardinals in 2018. He has also been the defensive backs coach for the Chicago Bears and San Diego Chargers, and the defensive coordinator for the Carolina Panthers and Cleveland Browns and Missouri.
Teryl Austin is an American football coach who is the defensive coordinator for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League (NFL). He was previously the defensive coordinator for the Detroit Lions from 2014 to 2017 and the Cincinnati Bengals in 2018.
John Morgan Garrett is an American football coach and former wide receiver. He is the former head football coach at Lafayette College, a position he assumed December 21, 2016 after spending one season as the offensive coordinator for the University of Richmond. He was also a professional American football wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL) for the Cincinnati Bengals and in the World League of American Football (WLAF) for the San Antonio Riders. He played college football at Columbia University and Princeton University.
Richard Bisaccia is an American football coach who is the assistant head coach and special teams coordinator for the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League (NFL). He previously served as an assistant coach for the Dallas Cowboys, San Diego Chargers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and was an interim head coach for the Las Vegas Raiders in 2021, leading the Raiders to the playoffs in his lone season.