Class of 2023: Don Coryell — A godfather of the modern offense enters the Hall of Fame
Enshrinement
Published on : 8/5/2023
By Barry Wilner
Special to the Pro Football Hall of Fame
If the modern-day football offenses excite you – and who doesn’t like wide-open action? – one of the main people to credit is DON CORYELL.
To call Coryell a winning coach with two franchises that often struggled would be a massive understatement. Yes, this year’s inductee to the Pro Football Hall of Fame from the contributor/coach category went 114-89-1 as a head coach, 72-60 with the San Diego Chargers after a 42-29-1 mark with the St. Louis Cardinals. That’s just a portion of the success story for Coryell, who passed away in 2010.
During his eulogy for Coryell, John Madden stressed his mentor’s role in pro football.
“You know, I’m sitting down there in front, and next to me is Joe Gibbs, and next to him is Dan Fouts, and the three of us are in the Hall of Fame because of Don Coryell,” Madden said, his voice cracking. “There’s something missing.”
Not any longer.
“The hardest thing for me, my brother, and the rest of our family is to channel what my dad would have said if he were here,” said his daughter, Mindy, in her presentation speech at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium. “So I’ll do my best. Here’s hoping I don’t channel his lisp. I am sure he would be humbled and proud and maybe a little surprised his legacy has lived on for all these years.”
Coming off a strong career as a college coach, Coryell was hired by the Cardinals in 1973. A year later, he guided the team to its first 10-win season since 1948, back when the Chicago Cardinals reached the NFL title game. That earned him NFL Coach of the Year honors – and he probably deserved that award in 1975 when St. Louis went 11-3, giving the franchise double-digit victories in consecutive seasons for the first time since it joined the league in the 1920s.
Coryell wasn’t done as his 1976 team went 10-4. His innovative offensive schemes helped St. Louis rank in the top 10 each of those seasons even though he didn’t have the game-breaking performers he would work with in his next stop.
Three of the most dynamic offensive players in San Diego who now have busts in Canton are Fouts, Charlie Joiner and Kellen Winslow. They had their highest levels of success under Coryell. And there’s the coaching tree that includes Gold Jackets Madden and Gibbs on Coryell’s branches.
“Lots of people tell me -- especially his old ball players -- how my dad either invented or improved so many offensive concepts,” his daughter said. “But, more importantly, that he was a `players’ coach’ and that the relationships that he fostered were really the key to his success. I believe that he felt that not only the X’s and O’s were his work and passion, but also the lasting relationships that he built. I never, ever, get tired of hearing all the stories and everyone’s impressions of him.”
On the field, Air Coryell in many ways was a forerunner of what the NFL has seen throughout the last few decades as offenses often have dominated. The Chargers topped the NFL in passing statistics seven times and were second once in his nine seasons with San Diego, twice reaching the AFC title game.
“Don revolutionized the passing game,” Fouts said. “He made it fun. “When you’re winning, it’s fun. The system gave us success and knowing that, he was willing to be creative and innovative and trust his players. He let us give input and once you give a player input, that player plays harder to make that input work.”
Combining his college and pro days, Coryell was the first coach to win more than 100 games at both the levels, going 127-24-3 before entering the NFL.
"Simply put, Air Coryell changed the game on both sides of the ball,” said Fouts. “One cannot write the history of the National Football League without the contributions of Coach Coryell."
Added a tearful Mindy: “Ladies and gentlemen, Air Coryell has landed in Canton.”
More on the Enshrinement of each class member
Class members are listed in order of their Enshrinement speeches:- Class of 2023: Zach Thomas — A special player in every way
- Class of 2023: Ken Riley — From college quarterback to shutdown NFL cornerback
- Class of 2023: DeMarcus Ware — No cape needed for this Superman
- Class of 2023: Joe Klecko — Versatility and perseverance were his trademarks
- Class of 2023: Chuck Howley — Much more than a Super Bowl MVP
- Class of 2023: Darrelle Revis — Definition of a shutdown cornerback
- Class of 2023: Don Coryell — A godfather of the modern offense enters the Hall of Fame
- Class of 2023: Rondé Barber — Proud to be relentlessly uncommon
- Class of 2023: Joe Thomas — A hall of Fame rarity, a megastar for losing teams
2023 Pro Football Hall of Fame Game
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