Rams Head Coach
Dick Vermeil
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Rams Head Coach |
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ST. LOUIS -- Dick Vermeil, who took the Philadelphia Eagles to their only Super Bowl but has not coached an NFL game in 15 years, was named the head coach of the St. Louis Rams on Tuesday. Vermeil replaces Rich Brooks, who was fired following a 6-10 season. Brooks, 55, was just 13-19 in two seasons with the Rams.
"This is my last stop. It's an unbelievable opportunity," Vermeil said. "The St. Louis Rams have raised the level
of what class is all about in the NFL." |  |
The 15-year gap between head coaching jobs is the longest in NFL history. The next closest was Ted Marchibroda, who was coach of the Baltimore Colts and went 13 years before being hired again by the Indianapolis Colts in 1992.
"People will say Vermeil is a retread, he's 60 years old, he's over the hill," said Vermeil. "I have a passion for coaching and a passion for the people I coach. The game of football has not changed all that much."
Vermeil was wooed by his former team, the Eagles, prior to the 1995 season and was close to signing after overtures by owner Jeff Lurie. But that deal fell through, and the job went to Ray Rhodes.
Vermeil coached the Eagles to their only Super Bowl appearance, a 27-10 loss to the Oakland Raiders in Super Bowl XV after the 1980 season. He guided Philadelphia to a 57-51 record, including playoffs, and took his teams to the postseason every year from 1978 to 1981 and won two NFC East titles.
At Super Bowl media day, New England Patriots coach Bill Parcells said he wished Vermeil well in his return to the NFL.
"Dick is a friend of mine, and I'm happy for him," Parcells said.
Green Bay Packers coach Mike Holmgren was not surprised with the hiring. "I could tell in having conversations with him that the burning desire to coach was still in his eyes," Holmgren said in New Orleans.
But one of Vermeil's former colleagues, FOX Sports analyst John Madden, said he was shocked by Vermeil's decision.
"It's not something I would ever do again," said Madden, who noted too much of the business side of the game has changed with free agency and other things. "I wish him well, but I was very surprised."
Vermeil resigned from the Eagles in 1982 after seven seasons, becoming the first coach to cite burnout as the reason for leaving.
"I have overloaded because I get too emotional and too intense," Vermeil conceded. "In 14 years, I've learned how to handle it."
Vermeil will in charge of all football-related matters with the Rams.
"Anybody directly involved with a football player will be my responsibility in this organization," Vermeil said. "The hiring, the firing, the drafting, the trading, as far as I'm concerned everything that makes a difference, or I wouldn't be here."
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Before coming to the Eagles, Vermeil coached two seasons at UCLA and took the Bruins to the Rose Bowl following the 1975 campaign. He has worked as a football analyst for CBS and has spent the last nine years as a college football analyst for ABC. He credits his time in television with giving him the chance to learn from top NFL coaches such as Parcells and Joe Gibbs. As a broadcaster, he had access to meetings and practices that were not open to other coaches. "I have received a PHD from the greatest graduate school in pro football," said Vermeil. Vermeil was not the only possibility for the Rams. Team president John Shaw made repeated attempts to hire George Seifert after he stepped down as head coach of the San Francisco 49ers last week. Seifert, who remains under contract to the 49ers for next season, said he was not interested in the St. Louis job. Shaw also was interested in Jacksonville Jaguars offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride and San Francisco defensive coordinator Pete Carroll. Gilbride was named head coach of the San Diego Chargers over the weekend. |
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