Record-breaking head coach finally gets to Canton

Coryell was ahead of his time as a head coach in the NFL. From San Diego State (1961-1972) to St. Louis as the Cardinals head coach (1973-1977), to San Diego (1978-1986), his offenses were nothing less than a high-wire act. He was “Air” long before Michael Jordan and his game plan exhausted defensive backs in the AFC West as well as those in the rest of the league.

The Cardinals Hire Don Coryell

Cardinals owner Bill Bidwill introduced Coryell as their head coach on Jan. 18, 1973. St. Louis would struggle in season one, finishing 4-9-1 for a third consecutive season. Jim Hart, who is a forgotten quarterback in Cardinals lore, produced his best stretch of football. Hart posted his best completion percentage of 55.6% while only tossing interceptions on 3.1% of his attempts.

The 1974 season began with little fanfare as little to nothing was expected of the Cardinals. With an uneventful preseason, St. Louis ran off with the division with a record of 10-4. It was an accomplishment worthy of note, as they had not won a division title since 1948 when the franchise was still in Chicago.

Coryell let his aerial attack take a back seat to what became a run-centric and successful rushing attack. Running back Terry Metcalf, who doubled as a kick returner, would produce over 2,000 all-purpose yards in one season. It’s a surprising record for the Cardinals with Coryell at the helm. Hart was named the United Press International Player of the Year, and Coryell himself earned the Associated Press Coach of the Year in 1974, his second season with the Cardinals.

However, the success of the season was short-lived come playoff time. The Cardinals would travel to Minnesota, losing 30-14 to the Vikings at old Metropolitan Stadium. By every metric, it was a successful season and springboard to 1975, where they would again win the NFC East. St. Louis finished the season 11-3 but would lose in the playoffs to the Los Angeles Rams in L.A.

The 1976 and 1977 seasons were not kind to either the Cardinals or Coryell. As negotiations with Bill Bidwell broke down, so did St. Louis on the field. Despite a record of 10-6 and 7-7, respectively, the relationship with Coryell and the city frayed. He would receive permission to speak to other teams, but the acrimony had set in, and on Feb. 10, 1978, Bidwell dismissed Coryell as head coach of the Cardinals.

A Change of Scenery

It proved a blessing in disguise. On Sept. 25, he would become the head coach of the San Diego Chargers, rewriting the record books on the way to Canton.

The passing guru compiled a 42-27-1 record with the Cardinals including two playoff appearances. In San Diego, Coryell racked up an impressive 69-56. He took the Chargers to the playoffs four times, with two trips to the AFC Championship Game.

The accomplishments and accolades of Don Coryell are long. Fouts, who presented him for induction in the Hall, once said:

“I think the best way to describe him is that he was fearless and, all sorts of genius,” Fouts said. “He’s very innovative and willing to try things, so I think he was fearless. He always felt that as an offense, we have to force the defense to cover the entire field. The 100 yards to the length and the 50 yards to the width, and he designed plays that we have to attack the entire field.” Courtesy – CantonRep.com

Perhaps most poignant, was Hall of Fame coach John Madden, at a 2010 memorial service for Coryell:

“You know, I’m sitting down there in front, and next to me is Joe Gibbs, and next to him is Dan Fouts, and the three of us are in the Hall of Fame because of Don Coryell.” Madden paused to compose himself. “There’s something missing.” Courtesy – sandiegouniontribune.com

oryell never led the Cardinals or the Chargers to a Super Bowl. The Lombardi Trophy is often the qualifier for enshrinement in the Hall of Fame. Yet, imagine if “Air Coryell” operated in the rarefied air that today’s NFL quarterbacks play in.

If there is one flaw in another Hall of Fame weekend, it is the posthumous honor too often seen. It’s understandable, but not entirely easy to stomach. Ken Stabler, Cliff Branch and Coryell deserved the parade and the Gold Jacket ceremony. But the Hall usually gets it right, and this past Saturday afternoon in Canton, they got it right.