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| '''Herman Lee "Herm" Edwards, Jr.''' (born ], ]) is the ] of the ]'s ]. Previously a ] player in the NFL, he played the position of cornerback for eight seasons (]-]) with the ], ] and ]. Before being hired with the Chiefs, Edwards was the head coach of the ] from ]-]. He is famous for the quote and sound bite, "You play to win the game!", a message that Edwards gave during a New York Jets press conference. It also became the title of his book, a collection of "leadership lessons" for the reader to use as personal motivation. As of 2006, he is also on the national advisory board for the |
'''Herman Lee "Herm" Edwards, Jr.''' (born ], ]) is the ] of the ]'s ]. Previously a ] player in the NFL, he played the position of cornerback for eight seasons (]-]) with the ], ] and ]. Before being hired with the Chiefs, Edwards was the head coach of the ] from ]-]. He is famous for the quote and sound bite, "You play to win the game!", a message that Edwards gave during a New York Jets press conference. It also became the title of his book, a collection of "leadership lessons" for the reader to use as personal motivation. As of 2006, he is also on the national advisory board for the Positive Coaching Alliance, a nonprofit organization based at Stanford University with the mission to transform youth sports so sports can transform youth. | ||
| Edwards is sometimes called (with various degrees of affection) "the Preacher". | Edwards is sometimes called (with various degrees of affection) "the Preacher". | ||
Revision as of 20:47, 21 June 2007
American football player| Career history | |
|---|---|
| Philadelphia Eagles Atlanta Falcons Los Angeles Rams | |
Record at Pro Football Reference  | |
| Stats at Pro Football Reference |
Herman Lee "Herm" Edwards, Jr. (born April 27, 1954) is the head coach of the National Football League's Kansas City Chiefs. Previously a journeyman player in the NFL, he played the position of cornerback for eight seasons (1979-1986) with the Philadelphia Eagles, Los Angeles Rams and Atlanta Falcons. Before being hired with the Chiefs, Edwards was the head coach of the New York Jets from 2001-2005. He is famous for the quote and sound bite, "You play to win the game!", a message that Edwards gave during a New York Jets press conference. It also became the title of his book, a collection of "leadership lessons" for the reader to use as personal motivation. As of 2006, he is also on the national advisory board for the Positive Coaching Alliance, a nonprofit organization based at Stanford University with the mission to transform youth sports so sports can transform youth.
Edwards is sometimes called (with various degrees of affection) "the Preacher".
Prior to his coaching career, Edwards was known best as the player who recovered a fumble by Giants quarterback Joe Pisarcik on a play that has been dubbed by some as The Miracle at the Meadowlands.
Years as a college and NFL player
The son of an African American World War II veteran and his German war bride, Edwards played college football at the University of California in 1972 and 1974, at Monterey Peninsula Junior College in 1973, and at San Diego State in his senior year, 1975. He graduated from the latter with a degree in criminal justice.
In the NFL, Edwards played nine seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles from 1977 to 1986, making a championship appearance with the team in Super Bowl XV. His 33 career interceptions is just one short of the franchise record. Remarkably he never missed a game in 9 seasons with the Eagles, remaining active with the team for 135 consecutive regular-season games until being cut by then-incoming Head Coach Buddy Ryan in 1986. Edwards went on to play briefly for the Los Angeles Rams and Atlanta Falcons in 1986 before announcing his retirement.
The highlight of Edwards' playing career occurred on November 19, 1978, in the final seconds of a game against the New York Giants at the Meadowlands. The Giants led 17-12 and the Eagles had no time-outs remaining; but instead of simply taking the snap from center and falling on the ball, Giants quarterback Joe Pisarcik attempted to hand the ball off to running back Larry Csonka. However, the ball came loose, and Edwards picked it up and returned it for a touchdown, enabling the Eagles to win 19-17. This play became known in Philadelphia as The Miracle at the Meadowlands and in New York as simply "The Fumble."
Early years coaching
After his days as a player ended, Edwards became a defensive assistant at San Jose State University (1987-1989), then was an NFL scout and defensive backs coach with the Kansas City Chiefs (1990-1995), for former Browns, Chiefs, Redskins, and Chargers Head Coach Marty Schottenheimer. With the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1996-2000), he was a defensive backs / assistant head coach under Tony Dungy. On January 28, 2001, despite never having previously held a head coaching or coordinator position, Edwards hired as head coach of the New York Jets .
Head coach of the New York Jets
In his five years as Jets coach, Edwards had a 39-41 record, including a 2-3 record in the playoffs and a 5-15 stretch during his final 20 regular season games with the club. With a strong veteran team in place following Bill Parcells tenure in the organization, the Jets had success in Edwards first two seasons, reaching the playoffs in both. The Jets were the 6th seed in 2001, losing on the road in the first round to the Oakland Raiders by the score of 38-24. In 2002, the Jets squeaked into the playoffs with a 9-7 record, due to winning the tie-breakers in a three-way tie for the AFC East Division lead with the New England Patriots and the Miami Dolphins. The Jets advanced to through the Wildcard round this time, which lead to a return trip to Oakland. Once again, Edwards and the Jets came up short, losing 30-10 to the Raiders. Following a disappointing 6-10 season in 2003, the Jets reached the divisional round of the AFC playoffs once more in 2004, where they lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers by a score of 20-17. In 2005, a year marred by injuries, inconsistent play, lack of player development, and rumors swirling about Edwards possibly leaving the organization, Edwards led the Jets to a woeful 4-12 record. Following the end of the season, the Jets traded away the rights to Edwards to the Kansas City Chiefs for a fourth round draft pick in the 2006 NFL Draft, and replaced him with Eric Mangini as their head coach.
Controversial departure from New York
Following the 2005 season, Chiefs' General Manager Carl Peterson heavily leaked stories to the press about Edwards in a pattern of behaviors that could have been considered tampering. At the time, Edwards had two years remaining on his contract with the Jets. However, this was the coach that Peterson wanted to be the successor to Dick Vermeil, who had just retired. As the rumors started swirling, a war of words between the two teams began to start up in the media. In the midst of all the speculation, Edwards tried to use what leverage he had with the Jets to get a contract extension with a hefty pay raise from the Jets, which only served to further anger the club's owner. Eventually, the two teams worked out a deal, when the Chiefs supplied the Jets their 4th round pick (Leon Washington, RB, Florida State) in 2006 NFL Draft as compensation. Some observers felt that the Jets management received too little in compensation from Kansas City. However, many others felt that Edwards had worn out his welcome with Jets Owner Woody Johnson, and that Johnson welcomed the opportunity to go in another direction.
On January 8, 2006, Edwards signed a 4 year, $12 million contract to become head coach of the Kansas City Chiefs. Eric Mangini, a protegé of Bill Belichick, replaced Edwards as the New York Jets Head Coach. With aggressive roster moves and a strong change in coaching philosophy, Mangini was able to reverse the direction the franchise had been heading under Edwards, taking the Jets to the 2006 AFC playoffs with a 10-6 record in his first year. In the process, he won AFC Coach of the Year honors.
Head coach of the Kansas City Chiefs
On September 10, 2006, Edwards made his regular season coaching debut with the Chiefs. In a lackluster performance, the Chiefs lost at home, to the Cincinnati Bengals, by the score of 23-10. Edwards first win with the Chiefs came on September 24, 2006 with a defeat of the San Francisco 49ers 41-0 in the third game of the season.
The 2006 Kansas City Chiefs season would see many highs and lows. Starting quarterback Trent Green suffered a serious concussion in the first game of the season. Despite Green's injury, the Chiefs continued to stay in contention, largely thanks to backup quarterback Damon Huard and Pro Bowl running back Larry Johnson. In a move some considered controversial, Edwards chose to sit Huard and start Green, when he returned from injury . At the time, Huard's performance at quarterback was one of the best in the league, having thrown 11 touchdowns against only 1 interception, averaging 7.7 yards per pass attempt, and posting a quarterback rating of 98.0 (2nd best rating in the NFL, second to only Peyton Manning). Additionally, the Chiefs were 5-3 in games started by Huard in 2006. Upon his return, Green struggled and failed to perform at the level of play that he had achieved in previous seasons, throwing 7 touchdowns (against 9 interceptions) and going 4-4 as a starter. Green's poor play led to Edwards placing more of the offensive burden on the shoulders of Larry Johnson, who ultimately ended up setting a record for rushing attempts in a season.
The Chiefs finished the 2006 season with a 9-7 record, edging out the Denver Broncos (who lost in OT to the San Francisco 49ers in the final game of the season) by divisional tiebreaker for second place in the AFC West, and making the playoffs as the 6th seed in the AFC. This was their first playoff appearance in the last 3 seasons, despite the 2005 Chiefs having had a better record at 10-6 the previous year.
On January 6, 2007, the Edwards-led Chiefs were soundly defeated by the Indianapolis Colts, by a score of 23-8. In the first half, the Chiefs offense failed to produce a single first down. This was the first time in the modern NFL era (post AFL-NFL Merger), and the first time since 1960, that any team had been held without a first down in the first half of a playoff game.
Criticisms
Herman Edwards' performance as a coach has drawn a variety of criticisms.
- Teams coached by Edwards have typically started most seasons with poor performances, leading to speculation that Edwards does a poor job of preparation in the preseason. With the exception of the 2004 season with the New York Jets, no team coached by Edwards has had a winning record after 6 games played.
- For a player who made his name in the NFL on a time management gaffe, Edwards has committed a variety of time management decisions that vary from perplexing to embarrassing. These gaffes have been quite frustrating to the fans of the teams coached by Edwards.
- Herm's game plans have often been criticized as too conservative with little or no imagination. A prime example of Edwards' game plans, the lone Chiefs 2007 playoff game was one of the worst offensive performances in recent history.
"Hermisms"
Edwards is known for his motivational speeches and soundbites given at press conferences. Edwards' popularity among motivational speaking has even led to the publication of his own book of quotes.
With New York
- "This is what's great about sports. This is what the greatest thing about sports is. You play to win the game. Hello? You play to win the game. You don't play it to just play it. That's the great thing about sports: you play to win, and I don't care if you don't have any wins. You go play to win. When you start tellin' me it doesn't matter, then retire. Get out! 'Cause it matters." - Following a reporter's question on the team's ability to win, on October 30, 2002 after a Week 8 loss to the Cleveland Browns left them at 2-5.
With Kansas City
- "I did a lot of preaching this week. I had my sermons ready. The good part is the congregation was listening. I wish I had passed the collection plate. I would’ve made a lot of money. But I did it for free." — Edwards, following a win against the Chargers in 2006.
- "When you're a head coach, you don't know where to stand," Edwards said. "You're screwed up. You go on the field, no one's talking to you. `Somebody's gonna talk to me.' You don't know what to do. So you go over and talk to the other head coach, and kind of shake his hand, then you go, `Where do I stand?'"] -- In an interview with South Florida Sun-Sentinel Reporter Ethan J. Skolnick.
- "Don't get things twisted." — Edwards, following questions from the media concerning the Chiefs' entry to the playoffs in 2006-07,, as well as answering questions of the status of Trent Green for the 2007 season
- ""Let's not get this thing twisted and think we backed into this deal. We didn't lose, we won. Every team that played this weekend played at home and had an opportunity to get into the playoffs just like us. We just happened to win. What's wrong with that? So, let's not get it twisted and say, 'Well, they're lucky.' We didn't get lucky. We won." — Edwards defending the Chiefs' 9-7 record and entry to the playoffs in 2006-07,
Trivia
- Edwards is a descendant of "Tony Dungy's coaching tree."
- Edwards has a 'tradition' of not watching the Super Bowl until he himself participates in one. Edwards did not even watch his friends Tony Dungy and Lovie Smith participate in Super Bowl XLI. Dungy had a tradition much like what Edwards does, that is, with the exceptions of Dungy's victories in both Super Bowls XIII and XLI.
- Edwards' career regular season head coaching record is 48-48 (.500) in six NFL seasons.
- Edwards is sometimes confused with close friend and fellow coach Tony Dungy. In public, fans occasionally have referred to both respective coaches as their near-similar counterparts.
- Edwards has only 2 playoff victories while a coach, and both have been against coaches he formerly worked for.
- Edwards was signed by current Chiefs General Manager Carl Peterson as a rookie free agent with the Philadelphia Eagles in 1977. Peterson served as the Eagles Director of Player Personnel at the time; twenty-nine years later, Peterson signed Edwards as the Chiefs' tenth head coach in 2006.
- Edwards has a strict workout regimen that has him in the gym at 4:30 in the morning six days a week.
- Instead of wearing athletic sneakers with his coaching attire, Edwards wears dress shoes. Before every game, Edwards polishes the shoes himself.
- Known widely for enthusiasm and faith-based personality, Edwards was born and raised Southern Baptist, but converted with his family and is now a practicing Roman Catholic.
- Edwards went to Monterey High School in Monterey, CA
- Edwards is known to be very fond of Fig Newtons, and usually has a package of them close by.
- Edwards' favorite movie is The Ten Commandments.
- At a press conference on October 31, 2006, Herm Edwards’ weekly news conference was running late when Larry Johnson emerged wearing Edwards’ trademark garb of NFL sweatshirt, shorts and red cap pulled over his eyes. He flailed his arms, pounded the table and went into a “play to win the game” rant. Johnson amused the reporters with his impersonation. In response, Edwards said “I’m glad Halloween is only one time a year." Edwards finished the press conference himself and referenced to the bond he had made with Johnson in the offseason.
Personal
Edwards was born in Fort Monmouth, New Jersey and raised in Seaside, California. Edwards is the son of Herman, Sr., the late Master Sergeant, and Martha. Herman Sr. met Martha while he was stationed in Germany with the U.S. Army.
Edwards graduated from San Diego State University with a degree in Criminal Justice. Edwards and his wife Lia have two daughters Gabrielle and Vivian. Edwards has a son Marcus from a previous relationship.
See also
- The Miracle at the Meadowlands - Edwards' infamous fumble recovery in New York.
- Dick Vermeil - Edwards' coach as a player in Philadephia, and the man he succeeded as Head coach in Kansas City.
- Philadelphia Eagles - Edwards' team in which he played Cornerback and participated in Super Bowl XV.
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Where Edwards' served as an assistant coach for Tony Dungy.
- New York Jets - Edwards' first Head coaching position.
- Kansas City Chiefs - The team currently coached by Edwards.
- 2006 Kansas City Chiefs season - Edwards' inaugural season as head coach in Kansas City.
References and notes
- Huard shines again Kansas City Star, 1 January 2007.
- Don’t swap while team clicking Kansas City Star, 8 November 2006.
- The New York Jets working to improve their offense's clock management NFL.com May 3, 2004
- Clock gives Edwards fits again in loss www.topix.net
- Diamond In The Rough DiamondVues.com, 15 January 2005
- What I'm Thinkin' About (Besides Swimming Pools)Slack LaLane, 16 November 2004
- Chiefs More Predictable Than "Gigli," Says LJ Chiefs NFL Fanhouse, 22 December 2006
- Blame debacle on Herm Kansas City Star, 7 January 2007.
- Offense needed a Plan B Kansas City Star, 7 January 2007.
- Chiefs end Herm Edwards' first year with embarrassing loss Sporting News, 7 January 2007.
- Schraeger, Peter. Get ready to meet Herm FOXSports.com, 13 June 2007.
- Whitlock, Jason "Herm covering Carl's goof," Kansas City Star, 2 January 2007
- Herm refutes Green's assertion that quarterback competition stacked against him Kansas City Star, 23 May 2007.
- Whitlock, Jason "Herm covering Carl's goof," Kansas City Star, 2 January 2007
- Wilbur, Eric. Natural Selection Boston.com, 3 January 2007.
- ^ Edwards enjoys quiet Super sunday Kansas City Star, 6 February 2007.
- Herman Edwards biography KCChiefs.com, accessed 6 February 2007.
- ^ What you don't know about Herm KCChiefs.com, 25 September 2006.
- The lighter side of LJ Kansas City Star, 1 November 2006.
- Ryan Masters. "Mother-In-Chief". Carmel Magazine. Retrieved 2007-01-22.
{{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - Karen Crouse (2005-08-11), Pro Football; Edwards keeps cool with baby on way, The New York Times
External links
- Edwards' infamous "You play to win the game!" quote VIDEO
- The Best Damn Sports Show's Biggest Blowups (#30: Herman's Headache)
| Preceded byAl Groh | New York Jets Head Coach 2001–2005 |
Succeeded byEric Mangini |
| Preceded byDick Vermeil | Kansas City Chiefs Head Coaches January 9, 2006– |
Succeeded byCurrent Coach |
| Kansas City Chiefs head coaches | |
|---|---|
| Formerly the Dallas Texans (1960–1962) | |
# denotes interim head coach |
| Winnipeg Jets | |
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| Franchise | |
| History | |
| Personnel |
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| Arena | |
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| Media | |
| Culture and lore | |
- 1954 births
- Living people
- American football cornerbacks
- Cal Bears football players
- San Diego State Aztecs football players
- Philadelphia Eagles players
- Los Angeles Rams players
- Atlanta Falcons players
- San José State Spartans football coaches
- Kansas City Chiefs coaches
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers coaches
- New York Jets coaches
- German-Americans