Sid Gillman facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Sid Gillman

Gillman as coach of the Rams in 1959
Position:	End
Personal information
Born:	(1911-10-26)October 26, 1911 Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S.
Died:	January 3, 2003(2003-01-03) (aged 91) Carlsbad, California, U.S.
Career information
High school:	Minneapolis North (Minneapolis, Minnesota)
College:	Ohio State
Career history
As player:
Cleveland Rams (1936)
As coach:
Michigan State (1934) Assistant coach Denison (1935–1937) Assistant coach Ohio State (1938–1940) Assistant coach Denison (1941) Line coach Miami (OH) (1942–1943) Assistant coach Miami (OH) (1944–1947) Head coach Army (1948) Line coach Cincinnati (1949–1954) Head coach Los Angeles Rams (1955–1959) Head coach Los Angeles / San Diego Chargers (1960–1969, 1971) Head coach Dallas Cowboys (1972) Quality control Houston Oilers (1973–1974) General manager / Head coach Chicago Bears (1977) Offensive coordinator Philadelphia Eagles (1979–1980, 1982) Quality control / Quarterbacks coach
Career highlights and awards
AFL champion (1963) AFL All-Time Team Los Angeles Chargers Hall of Fame San Diego Chargers 50th Anniversary Team San Diego Chargers 40th Anniversary Team First-team All-Big Ten (1932) Second-team All-Big Ten (1933)
Head coaching record
Regular season:	AFL/NFL: 122–99–7 (.550)
Postseason:	AFL/NFL: 1–5 (.167)
Career:	AFL/NFL: 123–104–7 (.541) NCAA: 81–19–2 (.804)
Coaching stats at PFR
Pro Football Hall of Fame
College Football Hall of Fame

Sidney Gillman (October 26, 1911 – January 3, 2003) was an important figure in American football. He was a player, a coach, and even managed teams. Gillman changed how football was played by focusing on long, deep passes down the field. Before him, many teams used short passes. His ideas helped make football the exciting game we see today.

He was so influential that he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1983. Later, he joined the College Football Hall of Fame in 1989.

Gillman played football as an end at Ohio State University from 1931 to 1933. He also played one professional season in 1936 for the Cleveland Rams. After playing, he became a coach. He led college teams at Miami University and the University of Cincinnati. His college coaching record was very impressive: 81 wins, 19 losses, and 2 ties.

He then moved to professional football. He coached the Los Angeles Rams (1955–1959) and the Los Angeles / San Diego Chargers (1960–1969). He also coached the Houston Oilers (1973–1974). His professional record was 123 wins, 104 losses, and 7 ties. In 1963, his San Diego Chargers team won the American Football League Championship.

Early Life and College Football

Sidney Gillman was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He came from a Jewish family.

He played college football at Ohio State University. His coach there was Sam Willaman. Gillman learned a lot from Willaman, which helped him develop his own offensive ideas. In 1933, he was a team captain. He was also named an All-Big Ten Conference end. While at Ohio State, he was part of the Zeta Beta Tau fraternity.

Gillman's Coaching Journey

Sid Gillman was always very interested in football. He even bought a projector to study game films at home. He would take football parts from newsreels shown at the movie theater where he worked. This made him the first coach to carefully study game footage. Today, all football coaches do this!

After college, Gillman decided to become a coach. He started as an assistant coach at several colleges. These included Denison University, Ohio State, and Army. He then became a head coach at Miami University and the University of Cincinnati. He spent 21 years coaching college teams.

In 1955, Gillman became a professional head coach for the Los Angeles Rams. The Rams had not been winning much before he arrived. In his first year, the team had a good record of 8 wins, 3 losses, and 1 tie. They made it to the 1955 NFL Championship Game but lost to the Cleveland Browns. After a few more seasons, Gillman left the Rams in 1959.

He then moved to the American Football League (AFL). There, he coached the Los Angeles and San Diego Chargers. He led the Chargers to five division titles and one league championship. This happened in the first six years of the AFL. Gillman was a very important coach for the new AFL. He helped the league become strong and respected.

Oakland Raiders owner Al Davis said that being part of Gillman's team was like going to a "laboratory for the highly developed science of professional football." However, some players found Gillman very demanding. Quarterback John Hadl called him "impulsive." Gillman had strong ideas and expected a lot from his players.

During his time with the Chargers, the team had a record of 87 wins, 57 losses, and 6 ties. They won five AFL Western Division titles. In 1963, the Chargers won their only league championship. They beat the Boston Patriots 51–10 in the AFL championship game. Gillman used a special game plan with lots of player motion. This helped running back Keith Lincoln rush for 206 yards.

Many famous players played for Gillman's Chargers teams. These included Lance Alworth, Ron Mix, Paul Lowe, John Hadl, Ernie Ladd, and Earl Faison. Alworth and Mix are now in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Gillman was one of only two head coaches to lead a team for the entire 10 years of the AFL. He even suggested that the AFL and NFL champions should play each other. This idea later became the Super Bowl. Gillman left the Chargers in 1969 due to health reasons. He returned briefly in 1971.

After the Chargers, Gillman worked for the Dallas Cowboys in 1972. In 1973, he became the general manager and head coach for the Houston Oilers. He helped turn the team around. In 1974, the Oilers had their first winning season in years. Gillman was even named the AFC Coach of the Year.

In 1977, Gillman became the offensive coordinator for the Chicago Bears. The Bears, led by star player Walter Payton, made it to the playoffs. Gillman later worked for the Philadelphia Eagles. He helped their offense become one of the best in the NFL. The Eagles even reached their first Super Bowl in 1980, thanks to Gillman's knowledge.

Even after retiring, Gillman stayed involved in football. He worked as a consultant for different teams. He continued to study game films, showing his lifelong dedication to the sport.

Gillman's Impact on Football

Sid Gillman had a huge impact on modern football. Many coaches and executives who became famous either played for him or coached with him. His ideas spread throughout the league.

Here are some of the well-known coaches who learned from Gillman:

• Al Davis, who owned and coached the Oakland Raiders.
• Chuck Noll, who led the Pittsburgh Steelers to four Super Bowl wins.
• Ara Parseghian, a successful college coach at University of Notre Dame.
• Bo Schembechler, a famous coach at the University of Michigan.
• Bill Walsh, who coached the San Francisco 49ers to three Super Bowl titles.
• Dick Vermeil, who coached the St. Louis Rams to a Super Bowl win.
• Bum Phillips, who coached the Houston Oilers.

Coaching Tree

The numbers in parentheses show how many Super Bowls were won by coaches who were influenced by Gillman. That's a total of 29 Super Bowls!

Don Coryell, another famous coach, used to bring his college team to watch Gillman's practices. Coryell later became an NFL coach, and his assistants were also influenced by Gillman's style.

Awards and Recognition

Gillman received many honors for his contributions to football.

• He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1983.
• He joined the College Football Hall of Fame in 1989.
• In 1990, he was inducted into the Southern California Jewish Sports Hall of Fame.

Personal Life

Sid Gillman was married to his wife, Esther, for 67 years. They had four children together. They lived in Carlsbad, California for many years. Later, they moved to Century City in Los Angeles.

Sid Gillman passed away peacefully in his sleep on January 3, 2003, at the age of 91. He is buried in the Hillside Memorial Park Cemetery in Culver City, California.

Coaching Records

Here is a summary of Sid Gillman's coaching records.

College Coaching Record

Gillman had a very successful career as a college head coach.

• At Miami Redskins (1944–1947), his overall record was 31 wins, 6 losses, and 1 tie.
• At Cincinnati Bearcats (1949–1954), his overall record was 50 wins, 13 losses, and 1 tie.
• His total college coaching record was 81 wins, 19 losses, and 2 ties.

Professional Coaching Record (AFL/NFL)

Gillman also had a long and impactful career coaching professional teams.

See also

• List of American Football League players
• List of National Football League head coaches with 50 wins