Rod Woodson: "Hall of Fame players being kept off NFL coaching staffs"

Empirical Cane

We are what we repeatedly do.
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I dont fully agree. There are very few successful head coaches, in any sport, that were HOF players. Being a great player is not the same as being a great motivator, teacher, planner, manager, etc. In football, none of Brown, Halas, Lombardi, Landry, Shula, Belichick, JJ, etc. were great or even good players. Casey Stengel wasnt, Sparky Anderson, etc etc. Red Auerbach, Phil Jackson, Riley, Poppovich, etc etc.
 
I don't think I agree with him.

Coaching-particularly in the NFL-is a grind. You need to work your way up the ladder, and oftentimes start in small, unassuming roles. I wonder how many ex-players, particularly famous ones, want to put in that work, particularly after years of the grind on the other end. I'm not sure how many players understand that the mere fact that you were a good player doesn't mean you'll be a good coach.
 
I think Rod is right. Takes a strong and confident personality to not shrink away from someone with gold jacket pedigree.




What say you?
I mean let’s be real most coaches (even sons of respected HCs) usually always have to cut their teeth at non-paying roles...

Let’s be real most HOF players ain’t taking “beoootch” positions to cut their teeth
I think both are true.
 
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The way the NFL recycles garbage coaches from job to job is irritating. No matter how terrible you are, you can always get some kind of assistant job once you're in the coaching "club". Maybe teams need to gamble on bringing in former players for assistant positions rather than guys who have been fired from multiple jobs already.
 
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The great Gale Sayers famously recounts how he wrote every NFL team upon retirement expressing interest in joining their coaching staff.

Only one replied. It was Al Davis and it was to very politely decline his offer.

These guys should look to the college ranks.
 
I don't think I agree with him.

Coaching-particularly in the NFL-is a grind. You need to work your way up the ladder, and oftentimes start in small, unassuming roles. I wonder how many ex-players, particularly famous ones, want to put in that work, particularly after years of the grind on the other end. I'm not sure how many players understand that the mere fact that you were a good player doesn't mean you'll be a good coach.
Perfect example is Ozzie Newsome. He was just a scout for years and rose. No NFL guy jumps right into a position coach role. Even Ed Reed had to be an analyst.
 
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The way the NFL recycles garbage coaches from job to job is irritating. No matter how terrible you are, you can always get some kind of assistant job once you're in the coaching "club". Maybe teams need to gamble on bringing in former players for assistant positions rather than guys who have been fired from multiple jobs already.

Or maybe the pool of people that are qualified and actually want to do those jobs is very, very minimal?
 
Diego Maradonna one of greatest soccer players of all time....terrible maanger
Michael Jordan GOAT basketball....terrible owner/gm
Wayne Gretzky GOAT hockey......bad coach
Mike Singletary great football player.......terrible coach

You get the drift

Off the top of my hed only great players who were good coaches were Larry Bird, Ivan Lendl, Joe Torre, Franz Beckenbaur, Lenny Wilkens, Mike Ditka, Zinedine zidane
 
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Diego Maradonna one of greatest soccer players of all time....terrible maanger
Michael Jordan GOAT basketball....terrible owner/gm
Wayne Gretzky GOAT hockey......bad coach
Mike Singletary great football player.......terrible coach

You get the drift

Off the top of my hed only great players who were good coaches were Larry Bird, Ivan Lendl, Joe Torre, Franz Beckenbaur, Lenny Wilkens, Mike Ditka, Zinedine zidane
Juergen klinsman, Steve Kerr
 
Diego Maradonna one of greatest soccer players of all time....terrible maanger
Michael Jordan GOAT basketball....terrible owner/gm
Wayne Gretzky GOAT hockey......bad coach
Mike Singletary great football player.......terrible coach

You get the drift

Off the top of my hed only great players who were good coaches were Larry Bird, Ivan Lendl, Joe Torre, Franz Beckenbaur, Lenny Wilkens, Mike Ditka, Zinedine zidane
Don Mattingly, Art Shell, Doc Rivers, Ozzie Newsome. Usually the guy that beat you with technique are the best coaches.
 
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