Bill Walsh coined the West Coast Offence in Cincinnati, which he took with him to San Francisco. Though the offense itself has been helped to win championships, he has also spawned a generation of coaches that might not run the same offense, but who share similar philosophies. The Bill Walsh Coaching Tree demonstrates Walsh’s continuing influence in the modern NFL.
Coaches in Bill Walsh Coaching Tree
The tree’s roots start with coaches who worked directly under Walsh as assistants. These coaches include Mike Holmgren, Dennis Green, Sam Wyche, George Siefert, Jim Fassel and Paul Hackett. Others who worked for these coaches can say that they trace their lineage back to Walsh. What is important to point out is that almost all members of the main branch are offensive coaches.
The coaches from the main branch have almost all been successful and notable coaches. This includes either Superbowl wins (Holmgren and Seifert) or Superbowl appearances (Wyche, Fassel). Dennis Green did not lead a team to the Superbowl, but he did take the Minnesota Viking to the NFC Championship in 1998 with a 15-1 regular season record.
Defensive Coaches in Bill Walsh Coaching Tree
The next level, or branch, of the coaching tree, also includes mostly offensive coaches. They are not all as notable as the first branch of coaches, but they do include Superbowl winning coaches Mike Shanahan and Tony Dungy. Dungy, a defensive coach, spawned defensive head coaches, such as Lovie Smith and Rod Marinelli and Mike Tomlin.
Other coaches within the same branch of the Bill Walsh Coaching Tree include Ray Rhodes, Andy Reid, Steve Mariucci, Mike McCarthy, Mike Tice, Jon Gruden, Jeff Fischer and Brian Billick. Gruden and Billick both won Superbowls for their franchise, while Reid and Fischer have both made Superbowl appearances. Fischer is the only coach not to have an offensive background.
Conservative Football Coaching in the NFL
The lowest branch of the tree includes some successful coaches, such as Superbowl-winning coach Mike Tomlin, but it also includes some who had only short tenures as head coaches. These include Bruce Coslet (Jets) and Mike Mularkey (Bills). Also, it is almost the only branch of the tree where more than one defensive coach is represented.
The most significant point seems to be the philosophical views that have been spread broadly throughout the league. A common trait among most of these coaches is their conservative approach to the game, which helps during the regular season, but can hurt in the playoffs. Jack Del Rio is the only coach known for risk-taking, which can also be hit or miss. In the end, success among these coaches still seems to be tied to the West Coast Offense.
