The Mike Ditka Coaching Tree lost a tenured branch as the Tennessee Titans parted ways with their head coach Jeff Fisher. Fisher was a defensive back with the Chicago Bears and earned a Super Bowl ring, despite being on IR, during the 1985 season. Fisher amassed a 142-120 record during his 17-seasons at the helm of the Titans.
Archive for the ‘ Mike Ditka Coaching Tree ’ Category
Mike Ditka Coaching Tree: Part Five
Author: DPCJan 29
Mike Ditka Coaching Tree: Part Four
Author: DPCJan 19
Mike Singletary, former Head Coach of the San Francsico 49ers and current member of The Mike Ditka Coaching Tree, has been hired as Linebacker/Assistant Head Coach for the Minnesota Vikings.
Mike Ditka Coaching Tree: Part Three
Author: DPCJan 11
The Mike Ditka coaching tree has grown another branch as Ron Rivera, a former member of the 1985 Chicago Bears, was named as the head coach of the Carolina Panthers.
Rivera was the defensive coordinator for the Bears from 2006-08. His most recent role was as defensive coordinator of the San Diego Chargers, from 2008-10.
I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that the Minnesota Vikings named Leslie Frazier as their Head Coach. Frazier lost the interim tag after guiding the Vikings to a 3-3 record at the end of the 2010 season. It was my oversight, not my disdain for the Vikings, that lead me to forget that Frazier was named the Head Coach of the Vikings. Sorry, Coach Frazier.
Mike Ditka Coaching Tree Part Two
Author: DPCDec 29
I used a prior entry to review the Mike Ditka Coaching Tree. This exercise was based upon the magical season of 1985 and the Chicago Bears roster from their championship run. Ditka was eventually dismissed by the Bears and but ran the New Orleans Saints from 1997-99. His tenure in New Orleans was marred by his trading a whole draft for the rights to University of Texas running back Ricky Williams. There wasn’t much on field success for the Saints during his time in the Big Easy but his coaching staff went on to bigger and better things.
- Jack Del Rio: Head Coach Jacksonville Jaguars
- Tom Clements: Quarterbacks Coach Green Bay Packers
- Tom Moore: Senior Offensive Assistant Indianapolis Colts
- Harold Jackson: Wide Receivers Coach Baylor
- Judd Garrett: Director of Pro Scouting Dallas Cowboys
- Bobby April: Special Teams Coordinator Philadelphia Eagles
- Mike Woicik: Strength and Conditioning Coach New England Patriots
- Larry Kuharich: Offensive Coordinator Columbus Destroyers, Arena Football League
- Markus Paul: Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach New York Giants
The Mike Ditka coaching tree did take a casualty recently as the San Francisco 49ers fired Head Coach Mike Singletary. Hopefully Samurai Mike finds another coaching job in the NFL.
Mike Ditka Coaching Tree
Author: DPCDec 22
This season marks the 25th anniversary of the Chicago Bears Super Bowl XX victory. Since that hallowed victory over the New England Patriots the Bears roster has turned into a coaching tree, with Mike Ditka at the top. The following players and former assistant coach moved from the field to the sidelines and continue to represent the best of the Monsters of the Midway.
· Mike Singletary: Head Coach San Francisco 49ers
· Jeff Fisher: Head Coach Tennessee Titans
· Leslie Frazier: Interim Head Coach Minnesota Vikings
· Ron Rivera: Defensive Coordinator San Diego Chargers
· Dennis Gentry: Scout for the Detroit Lions
· Ken Margerum: Former Assistant Coach for San Jose State University, Stanford and the University of Hawaii
· Steve McMichael: Head Coach of the Chicago Slaughter, Indoor Football League
· Brian Cabral: Head Coach University of Colorado
· Buddy Ryan: Former Head Coach Philadelphia Eagles and Arizona Cardinals
Over the years I have been over inundated with the Bill Walsh Coaching Tree (Which should actually be the Paul Brown Coaching Tree since Walsh was his assistant with the Cincinnati Bengals) and since I am 49ers hater I felt the need to show that Iron Mike sired a tip top coaching family from his former players on the Bears. As of this writing three members of the Ditka Coaching Tree are head coaches in the NFL and Rivera is a highly regarded coordinator.