Former HC Visits Pitt Football

Wannstedt is a native of western Pennslyvania, growing up in nearby Baldwin, Pa. and playing for Baldwin High School. He went on and played for Pitt as an offensive tackle in the early 1970s and then spent the 1974 season with the Green Bay Packers in the NFL.

He went back to Pitt and spent four seasons as a graduate assistant, playing a role in the 1976 National Championship team.

Wannstedt spent almost three decades away from Pitt, with stops across the college and NFL landscape, many of which were with Jimmy Johnson, who was at Pitt as the assistant head coach and defensive coordinator for two seasons.

He was the defensive line coach for 10 seasons after leaving Pitt in 1978, with four seasons at Oklahoma State under Johnson, who was the head coach, then went to USC for three seasons and reunited with Johnson for three seasons from 1986-88, winning the national title in 1987.

Wannstedt went with Johnson to his next stop, serving as defensive coordinator for the Dallas Cowboys for four seasons from 1989-92, winning Super Bowl XXVII over the Buffalo Bills in the final season.

He then took over as Chicago Bears head coach for six seasons from 1993-98. He only had one playoff appearance and finished with a 40-56 record.

Wannstedt rejoined with Johnson as his associate head coach for the Miami Dolphins in 1999. He then took over as head coach in 2000, following the surprising retirement of Johnson at just 56 years old.

He spent five seasons as the helm of the Dolphins, with back-to-back playoff appearances his first two campaigns, following the retirement of Pitt legend Dan Marino.

Wannstedt had two more seasons above .500, but didn't make the playoffs, and resigned after a 1-8 start in 2004, finishing with a 42-31 record in Miami.

Pitt hired Wannstedt as their head coach ahead of the 2005 season, replacing Walt Harris, who left for the same job at Stanford.

Wannstedt spent six seasons as head coach of the Panthers, ending with a 42-31 record and 24-18 in the Big East.

He went 5-2 each year in the Big East for his final three seasons, but missed out on a BCS bowl every time, prompting his resignation after the 2010 season.

His biggest win came against West Virginia, in the famous '13-9' victory on Dec. 1, 2007, where Pitt was 28.5 point underdogs and they knocked their rival out of the BCS National Championship Game.

Wannstedt spent three more seasons in the NFL before transitioning to television.