Remembering the Impact of Former Packers Offensive Coordinator Sherm Lewis

Sherman Lewis, who won four Super Bowl rings as an assistant coach including one as the Packers offensive coordinator in 1996, passed away on May 15^th at the age of 83. Lewis served as offensive coordinator of the Packers from 1992 through the 1999 season. Despite his success as an offensive coordinator, Lewis never became a head coach in the NFL. Today we look back at the impact of former Packers offensive coordinator Sherm Lewis.

Lewis attended Michigan State University and played halfback there while also competing in track. He finished third in the Heisman Trophy voting in 1963, the year Roger Staubach won the award. After his career at MSU, he played two seasons in Canada before joining the New York Jets of the AFL from 1966 to 1967.

Remembering the Impact for Former Packers Offensive Coordinator Sherm Lewis: Building a Legacy

In 1969, Lewis joined his alma mater as an assistant coach. He stayed there until 1982 before joining Bill Walsh’s staff with the San Francisco 49ers in 1983. He served as the running backs coach from 1983-1990 and the receivers coach in 1991. In 1992, when fellow Niners assistant Mike Holmgren became head coach of the Packers, he hired Lewis as his offensive coordinator.

Holmgren also brought Ray Rhodes over from San Francisco to be his defensive coordinator. Rhodes knew the value Sherman brought as a coach. “Sherm’s been in the league a long time, plus the college ranks,” Rhodes told the 1992 Packers Yearbook. “He’s an outstanding coach. Every position he coached in San Francisco, they excelled. He’s a natural teacher.”

Helping Build a Championship Team

Lewis worked with quarterback Brett Favre, who the Packers acquired in a 1992 trade with Atlanta. When Favre arrived in Green Bay, he was talented but very undisciplined. Under Holmgren and Lewis’ guidance, he developed into a Hall of Fame quarterback and won three consecutive NFL MVP awards from 1995-1997.

In 1996, the Packers led the NFL in points scored under Lewis. In fact, during his final seven seasons with the Packers, the team ranked in the top 10 in scoring offense every year.

Lewis also advocated for return specialist Desmond Howard to make the Packers roster in 1996 despite his struggles as a receiver. He saw something special in Howard who went on to become an integral part of the Packers Super Bowl run that season.

Lewis didn’t call the offensive plays for the Packers until 1999, his final season with the team. Holmgren kept that responsibility for himself. That changed in Lewis’ final season in Green Bay when Rhodes took over as head coach. The Packers still enjoyed success offensively, finishing in the top 10 in both yards gained and points.

After leaving Green Bay, Lewis spent two seasons as the offensive coordinator with Minnesota and two more with Detroit. His last season in the NFL job came in Washington under Jim Zorn where he worked as an offensive consultant in 2009.

Remembering the Impact for Former Packers Offensive Coordinator Sherm Lewis: One Regret

The one thing Lewis never got the chance to do was become a head coach. He always wondered if it was because he was African American at a time when there were fewer Black coaches being hired in the NFL.

“I can’t mandate that somebody hires me,” Lewis said just before Super Bowl XXXII in January of 1998. “All I can do is keep winning and keep going to Super Bowls. I’ve got a good job. I think a lot of guys who have been head coaches in this league would love to trade places with me. This is my fifth Super Bowl. I’ve won four of them.”

Holmgren was always supportive of Lewis getting a head coaching job, adding, “He’s more than ready.”

Running back Dorsey Levens, who worked extensively with Lewis during his tenure in Green Bay added, “I think he was ready to be a head coach five years ago.”

Unfortunately, that opportunity never arose for Lewis.

Looking back on his career in 2015, Lewis told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, “No question I wished I had the chance to be a head coach. But looking back, I did all I could. I was disappointed, but I’m not going to hang my hat on that. I had a great career and was fortunate to coach in the NFL.”