Clipboard talk: 6 greatest Rams head coaches of all time

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Pick your head coach you would take in a heartbeat for this season


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JKBOGEN

JAKE OLIVER ELLENBOGEN
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Clipboard talk: 6 greatest Rams head coaches of all time
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http://theramswire.usatoday.com/2016/07/05/clipboard-talk-6-greatest-rams-head-coaches-of-all-time/

By: Jake Ellenbogen | 3 hours ago

The previous edition of the Los Angeles Rams was an impressive franchise, compiling 27 playoff appearances, 15 division championships, 10 conference championships, two NFL championships and of course, a Super Bowl victory.

Now, we’re going to take a look at a few of the great coaches in the history of the franchise who helped make all that possible.

Dick Vermeil (1997-99)
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Dick Vermeil’s first stint with the Rams was as a special teams coach in 1969. His second stint ran over three years from 1971-73 as an assistant coach. Vermeil would come back once again in 1997 to become the head coach.

Vermeil is known as a coach that got off to slow starts over the course of his coaching career, but his teams would pick up steam as the seasons rolled on.

He started off as the Rams head coach with a 9-23 record in his first two seasons. Finally, in the 1999 season, he led the Rams to a 13-3 record with quarterback Kurt Warner, who had been playing in NFL Europe.

He would also go on to win a Super Bowl that same year, defeating Rams current coach Jeff Fisher’s Tennessee Titans 23-16.

Mike Martz (2000-05)
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Mike Martz got his introduction into the franchise when he was a quarterbacks coach for the team from 1992-94. The next season he became the wide receivers coach and shortly after was named offensive coordinator. Of course, he was the one who formed the Greatest Show on Turf.

Vermeil hired Martz and he left his stamp with the Rams’ offensive powerhouse that broke multiple records and created a legend in Warner.

When Vermeil retired, Martz took over as head coach and went 10-6 in his first season, which unfortunately ended in the playoffs due to a freak muffed punt by Az-Zahir Hakim. The next season Martz led the Rams to a 14-2 Super Bowl season, in which the team lost to the Patriots.

Martz had an up-and-down rest of his time with the Rams. He finished with a 53-32 record.

John Robinson (1983-91)
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John Robinson was named head coach of the Rams in 1983 and remained the coach until 1991. He led the Rams to two NFC titles and finished with a record 75-68.

He posted a 4-6 postseason mark, and has the most wins by any Rams coach all time, so not putting him on this list would be a shame. Robinson was also responsible for drafting Hall-of-Fame running back Eric Dickerson, so we all have him to thank him for that one.

Robinson was a great coach who just got unlucky being in the same conference as the Chicago Bears legendary defense, as well as the San Francisco 49ers.

George Allen (1966-70)
Hall-of-Famer George Allen had the third-highest winning percentage of any NFL coach besides John Madden and Vince Lombardi. His first special teams coach was Vermeil, who went on to lead the same franchise to a Super Bowl victory.

Allen coached the Rams from 1966-70 and went 49-17-4. His impressive turnaround of the franchise from Harland Svare’s 14-31 record is what makes him stand out as one of the best in Rams history.

Chuck Knox (1973-77, 1992-94)
Ground Chuck kept the Rams winning, as he was an incredibly consistent coach. He employed two future Rams head coaches in Mike Martz and eventual interim coach Joe Vitt.

During his eight seasons with the Rams he posted a 69-49 record. He also brought in five consecutive NFC West division titles, unheard of in today’s league.

Joe Stydahar (1950-52)
The Hall-of-Fame coach Joe Stydahar coached the Rams for two years, but that was all he needed to bring the franchise their second NFL title.

Stydahar strangely resigned in 1952 after one game, but had a 17-8 coaching record. He led the explosive offense that featured Bob Waterfield and Norm Van Brocklin at quarterback and the incredible backfield of Dan Towler, Dick Hoerner and Tank Younger.
 

DaveFan'51

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George Allen (1966-70)
Hall-of-Famer George Allen had the third-highest winning percentage of any NFL coach besides John Madden and Vince Lombardi. His first special teams coach was Vermeil, who went on to lead the same franchise to a Super Bowl victory.

Allen coached the Rams from 1966-70 and went 49-17-4. His impressive turnaround of the franchise from Harland Svare’s 14-31 record is what makes him stand out as one of the best in Rams history.
George Allen will always be #1 in my book! But there are 4 close number 2 choices above^!!(y)(y):D:D:hiding::mrburnsevil:
 

Rambitious1

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This article is factually inaccurate.
RE: Martz - it fails to mention his time with Washington 1997 to 1998.
Martz was hired back by the Rams in 1999 as OC.
 

Roman Snow

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Jake, I have enjoyed your great series on our Rams. You have done an excellent job. And coming from a journalism major here, (for what that is worth) I think you have a bright future in writing. (y)

Keep learning and keep writing!
 

JKBOGEN

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This article is factually inaccurate.
RE: Martz - it fails to mention his time with Washington 1997 to 1998.
Martz was hired back by the Rams in 1999 as OC.
Well aware which is why I said shortly later...Sorry I guess next time ill put and a brief pit stop with the Redskins and then hired back to the Rams
 

JKBOGEN

JAKE OLIVER ELLENBOGEN
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Jake, I have enjoyed your great series on our Rams. You have done an excellent job. And coming from a journalism major here, (for what that is worth) I think you have a bright future in writing. (y)

Keep learning and keep writing!
Thanks man! I am just some college dropout who started writing in March. It means alot to hear you say that. I would love to go major in journalism at some point though.
 

JKBOGEN

JAKE OLIVER ELLENBOGEN
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George Allen will always be #1 in my book! But there are 4 close number 2 choices above^!!(y)(y):D:D:hiding::mrburnsevil:
Not bad! He's a great choice I left out Adam Walsh in my top 6 if i had an honorable mention section it would have been him and Ray Malavasi
 

LesBaker

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freak muffed punt by Az-Zahir Hakim

Jake, did you ever see Az field punts.

It was no freak accident when he did LOL.

I've always said Az was the only Rams player I can remember that made both sidelines ass-pucker when he got the ball.
 

den-the-coach

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Every Night I thank the Good Lord for Richard Albert "Dick" Vermeil!
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den-the-coach

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George Allen will always be #1 in my book!

Hooray for George, hooray at last, hooray for George, he's a horse's ass ...

Redskin players sang that little ditty to Coach Allen after giving him the game ball.
 

den-the-coach

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Greatest Day of my life
(p.s. The birth of my two kids was way too stressful to put in my personal Top 6 :)

Funny my wife jumped all over me after "The Tackle." As I began to become emotional, my wife yelled..."Okay tin man, you did not show any emotion during our wedding or the birth of your two children, do not shed one tear." I had all I could do to stop the waterworks.
 

LACHAMP46

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for putting Martz ahead of Vermeil.
LOL!!!!!

That was all Martz in '99...with Lovie....And all Martz in 2002-2004....If he'd only kept Lovie.....

Vermeil was about to kill a good team until some leaders spoke with him concerning practice...

I 'll give him some respect, but Martz is a generational type coach. He changed offensive football....
 

LesBaker

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LOL!!!!!

That was all Martz in '99...with Lovie....And all Martz in 2002-2004....If he'd only kept Lovie.....

Vermeil was about to kill a good team until some leaders spoke with him concerning practice...

I 'll give him some respect, but Martz is a generational type coach. He changed offensive football....

Martz is a better "idea" than coach.

An innovator who should never be allowed to call plays, just design them, let someone else select.

This NFL as far as O has his thumbprints all over it.........no denying that.
 

DaveFan'51

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Not bad! He's a great choice I left out Adam Walsh in my top 6 if i had an honorable mention section it would have been him and Ray Malavasi
Coach Malavasi would have deserved an Honorable mention if for no other reason than he got the Rams to their 1st SB, and for 3 Quarters Owned the Steelers! Memories ..
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