Bud Carson facts for kids
| Biographical details | |
|---|---|
| Born | April 28, 1930 Brackenridge, Pennsylvania |
| Died | December 7, 2005 (aged 75) Sarasota, Florida |
| Playing career | |
| Position(s) | Defensive back |
| Head coaching record | |
| Overall | 27–27 |
| Bowls | 1–1 |
Leon H. "Bud" Carson (born April 28, 1930 – died December 7, 2005) was a famous American football coach. He is best known for his work with the Pittsburgh Steelers during their championship wins in the 1970s.
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Bud Carson's Football Journey
Bud Carson had a long career in football, first as a player and then as a coach. He was known for his smart defensive strategies.
Playing Days
Before becoming a coach, Bud Carson played football himself. He was a defensive back for the North Carolina team. He played there from 1949 to 1951. After his college career, he joined the Marines.
Coaching at Georgia Tech
After leaving the Marines, Bud Carson started his coaching career. He worked at Georgia Tech as a coach under head coach Bobby Dodd. In 1967, Carson became the head coach for Georgia Tech.
His team had some tough seasons at first. But in 1970, they had a great year, winning 9 games and losing only 3. They also won the Sun Bowl game. In 1971, they finished with a 6-6 record after losing the Peach Bowl. After that season, he left Georgia Tech. While coaching there, he created a special defensive plan called the "Cover 2" strategy. This strategy became very popular and is still used by teams in the NFL today.
Coaching in the NFL
In 1972, Chuck Noll, the head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers, hired Bud Carson. Carson became their defensive coordinator. Under his leadership, the Steelers' defense became known as the "Steel Curtain." It was one of the best defenses in National Football League history.
The "Steel Curtain" defense had amazing players like Jack Lambert, Mel Blount, Jack Ham, and Mean Joe Greene. This strong defense helped the Steelers win the Super Bowl in 1974 and 1975. They allowed fewer points than any other team in their conference during those years. In 1976, their defense was incredibly strong, letting opponents score less than 10 points per game.
After the 1977 season, Carson moved to the Los Angeles Rams as their defensive coordinator. The Rams later played against the Steelers in Super Bowl XIV. He also coached for the Kansas City Chiefs and Baltimore Colts. From 1985 to 1988, he was in charge of the New York Jets' defense.
In 1989, Bud Carson became the head coach of the Cleveland Browns. The Browns won their division in 1989. However, they lost to the Denver Broncos in the conference championship game. The Browns' owner, Art Modell, decided to let Carson go halfway through the 1990 season. That season ended with the Browns having a 3-13 record.
After leaving the Browns, Carson continued coaching. He worked for the Philadelphia Eagles and the St. Louis Rams. He retired from coaching in 1997.
Family Life
Bud Carson passed away in 2005 due to emphysema. He was married to Linda Carson, who was a TV news anchor. His daughter, Cathi Carson, is a sports reporter in Jacksonville. He also had a son named Cliff and another daughter named Dana, as well as a stepson named Gary Ford.
