NFL Coaching Trees

NFL Coaching Trees

A coaching tree is similar to a family tree except it shows the relationships of coaches instead of family members. There are several different ways to define a relationship between two coaches. The most common way to make the distinction is if a coach worked as an assistant on a particular head coach's staff for at least a season then that coach can be counted as being a branch on the head coach's coaching tree. Coaching trees can also show philosophical influence from one head coach to an assistant.

Coaching trees are common in the National Football League and most coaches in the NFL can trace their lineage back to a certain head coach for whom they previously worked as an assistant.

The phrase "coaching tree" has also grown to refer colloquially to any idea or set of ideas originated by an individual or group. For example, an individual may claim an original idiom or phrase as part of his or her coaching tree if used by another individual.

Coaching trees are becoming more prominent in today's NFL culture. They are often referenced by various media outlets, such as ESPN (see Len Pasquarelli article). Each branch of the tree shows a relationship between one coach and their predecessor. The relationship shown on the below trees are of an assistant coach to a head coach. The former assistant branches out from the head coach that they used to work for. The tree examples below only show the relationship of former assistant coaches to their former head coach. In several cases, an assistant coach learns a general philosophy from their head coach. Coaching trees can also show a philosophical relationship between an assistant and a former head coach who mentored them (see Tony Dungy below). In the current NFL, 31 active head coaches trace their roots back to three main prominent Head Coaches: Bill Walsh, Bill Parcells, and Marty Schottenheimer (See Graphic Below).