Bobhaze
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In the storied 60 year history of “America’s Team”, we have had a long list of great players and head coaches. In fact, our first two head coaches, Tom Landry and Jimmy Johnson, are Hall of Famers that coached the first 34 years of team history.
What has been talked about less is the number of outstanding assistant coaches who were a part of this team’s great history and achievements. Some went on to be excellent HCs in their own right. Many were key cogs in winning 5 Super Bowls.
Here are some of the great assistants in Cowboys history:
What has been talked about less is the number of outstanding assistant coaches who were a part of this team’s great history and achievements. Some went on to be excellent HCs in their own right. Many were key cogs in winning 5 Super Bowls.
Here are some of the great assistants in Cowboys history:
- Ernie Stautner- the former Pittsburgh steeler HOF player served as the Cowboys DL coach for 22 years under Landry. He coached and developed Cowboys greats like Bob Lily, Randy White, TooTall Jones, Harvey Martin, and Jethro Pugh.
- Dan Reeves- while a Cowboys RB, Reeves was tapped by Landry to be a player-coach after his 4th season as a player. Reeves went on to coach RBs in Dallas for 12 years. He became a head coach in Denver and later NYG and Atlanta, where his teams appeared in 4 Super Bowls. He won NFL “Coach if the Year” twice.
- Mike Ditka- “Iron Mike” became a Cowboys player briefly in 1971-72 at the end of his great HOF career as a player. Landry then hired Ditka as Special Teams coach, where Ditka served effectively for 9 years before being hired as Chicago’s HC in 1982. His bears won a SB in 85 with perhaps the greatest defense in NFL history.
- Norv Turner- served under Jimmy Johnson as QB coach and offensive coordinator, Turner was most responsible for the development of HOFer Troy Aikman. Turner became an NFL HC in San Diego and Washington with only marginal success. Aikman chose Turner to introduce him for his HOF speech.
- Dave Wannstedt- Jimmy Johnson’s defensive coordinator for 4 years, he developed the new “Doomsday Defense” of the 90s that dominated the middle 90s. Wannstedt was never as successful as an NFL head coach in Chicago and Miami.
- Sean Payton- served only 3 years in Dallas under Bill Parcells as QBs coach and was most responsible for acquiring and developing Tony Romo. Has gone on to Coach the saints and has enjoyed great success there winning a SB in 2009.