Sam Wyche
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Sam Wyche | |
|---|---|
| Date of birth | January 5, 1945 |
| Place of birth |  Atlanta, Georgia |
| Position(s) | Head Coach Quarterback |
| College | Furman |
| Career Record | 87-109-0 |
| Championships Won |
1988 AFC Championship |
| Playing Stats | DatabaseFootball |
| Coaching Stats | DatabaseFootball |
| Team(s) as a player | |
| 1968-1970 1971-1972 1974 1976 |
Cincinnati Bengals Washington Redskins Detroit Lions St. Louis Cardinals |
| Team(s) as a coach/administrator | |
| 1984-1991 1992-1995 |
Cincinnati Bengals Tampa Bay Buccaneers |
Sam Wyche (born January 5, 1945 in Atlanta, Georgia) is a former American football player and head coach, who is best known as the head coach of the Cincinnati Bengals of the NFL. Perhaps best known for introducing the use of the No-huddle offense as a standard offense (as opposed to use at the end of the half), Wyche's greatest achievement as a head coach was leading the Cincinnati Bengals to Super Bowl XXIII, which they lost to the San Francisco 49ers 20-16.
[edit] Notable moments
- Known as an emotional coach, he bonded well with his players and occasionally collided with superiors. His ongoing feud with Houston Oilers head coach Jerry Glanville was best exemplified in late 1989, when the Bengals scored early and often in a 61-7 thrashing. He also helped stoke the flames of the Cleveland - Cincinnati intrastate rivalry with several other comments and play calling during his tenure.
- On December 10, 1989, during a game versus the Seattle Seahawks, Bengals fans in protest of what they perceived to be a bad call by the officials, began to throw snowballs onto the field at the referees and the Seahawks, who were at their own 4-yard line and an easy target from the bleachers. Seattle refused to continue until they stopped, and play was halted by the officials. In order to stop the snowball onslaught, Wyche was given a house microphone to try to calm the crowd, asking fans to please point out anyone throwing snowballs to stadium security and chided the fans who were throwing snowballs: "You don't live in Cleveland, you live in Cincinnati!"
- On December 24, 1991, just three years after the Bengals' Super Bowl appearance, Wyche was fired by owner Mike Brown, who had taken over the team upon the death of his father, club founder Paul Brown, four months earlier. Controversy erupted when the Bengals claimed Wyche had resigned, relieving the team of any future payments, but Wyche stated he was fired.
- Wyche spent the next four years as head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Following his dismissal at the conclusion of the 1995 season, he became a broadcaster, first for NBC, then for CBS and Westwood One.
- Near the end of his tenure with the Bucs, Wyche participated in a lighthearted pregame promotional piece for television. At the time, Jimmy Johnson, then the recently dismissed coach of the Dallas Cowboys, was rumored to be heading to Tampa to displace Wyche. During the promo, Wyche was about to address his team when an assistant ducked his head into the room and beckoned Wyche out of the room, and to "bring your playbook." Wyche disappeared, and in walked Johnson, who addressed "his" new team.
[edit] Timeline
- 1945: Born January 5 in Atlanta
- 1963-65: Played quarterback at Furman University
- 1967: Attended University of South Carolina, received MBA, also was assistant coach
- 1968: Played for the Wheeling Ironmen of the Continental Football League
- 1968-1970: Played quarterback for the Cincinnati Bengals
- 1971-1973: Played for Washington Redskins (played in Super Bowl VII)
- 1974: Played for Detroit Lions
- 1976: Played for St. Louis Cardinals
- 1976: Played for Buffalo Bills
- 1979-1982: Assistant coach for San Francisco 49ers (Directed the passing game)
- 1983: Head coach Indiana University
- 1984-1991: Head coach Cincinnati Bengals
- 1992-1995: Head coach for Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- 1996: Worked as a sports analyst with Marv Albert on a weekly NFL game for NBC
- 1997-1998: Was promoted to the studio on NBC's weekly pre-game and half time shows
- 1998-1999: Worked as an analyst by CBS with Kevin Harlan on the weekly NFL games
- 2000: Underwent a biopsy on lymph nodes in his chest. His left vocal cord was severed during the procedure, leaving his voice consistently hoarse and scratchy.
- 2004-2006: Volunteer at Pickens High School (South Carolina) - Public Speaker
- 2004-2005: Quarterbacks coach for Buffalo Bills
- 2006: Named commentator on Westwood One's NFL Thursday night coverage, partnered with Dick Enberg
| Preceded by Lee Corso |
Indiana University Head Football Coaches 1983 |
Succeeded by Bill Mallory |
| Preceded by Forrest Gregg |
Cincinnati Bengals Head Coaches 1984–1991 |
Succeeded by David Shula |
| Preceded by Richard Williamson |
Tampa Bay Buccaneers Head Coaches 1992–1995 |
Succeeded by Tony Dungy |
| Preceded by ' |
Buffalo Bills Quarterback Coach 2004-2005 |
Succeeded by Turk Schonert |
| Cincinnati Bengals Head Coaches |
|---|
| Brown • Johnson • Rice • Gregg • Wyche • Shula • Coslet • LeBeau • Lewis |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers Head Coaches |
|---|
| McKay • Bennett • Perkins • Williamson • Wyche • Dungy • Gruden |
Categories: Indiana Hoosiers football coaches | 1945 births | Living people | People from Atlanta | American football quarterbacks | Furman Paladins football players | Cincinnati Bengals (AFL) players | Cincinnati Bengals players | Washington Redskins players | Detroit Lions players | Buffalo Bills coaches | Buffalo Bills players | St. Louis Cardinals (football) players | San Francisco 49ers coaches | Cincinnati Bengals coaches | Tampa Bay Buccaneers coaches | American sports announcers
