Charley Casserly
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Charley Casserly (born ??, in River Edge, New Jersey) is a 16-year veteran NFL General Manager and 24-year NFL executive that worked for the Washington Redskins and Houston Texans. He currently works for the NFL network.
Considered by many as one of the most respected General Managers in the NFL throughout his career, Casserly most recently served as Senior Vice President & General Manager, Football Operations, for the expansion franchise Houston Texans beginning in 2000 through 2006. He headed all football Operations for the club.
Casserly and his wife of 26 years, Beverley, have a daughter, Shannon, who graduated from American University in 2006. They currently live in Washington, D.C.
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[edit] Early life
Casserly began his career as an assistant coach at Cathedral High School in Springfield, Massachusetts, from 1969-72 before moving to a similar post at his alma mater, Springfield (MA) College from 1973-74. He returned to Cathedral High School to serve as the school's athletic director for two years before becoming head football coach at Minnechaugh High School from 1975-76.
He holds a bachelor's degree in education and a master's degree in guidance from Springfield College, where he also played football. In May 2005, he received an honorary doctor degree in humanics from Springfield. Casserly is also a member of the Springfield College Sports Hall of Fame and Bergen Catholic High School Hall of Fame.
[edit] Washington Redskins
In his highly successful 23-year career with the Washington Redskins, Casserly enjoyed his most success as an assistant to General Manger Bobby Beathard. Washington went to four Super Bowls during Casserly's tenure as assistant, winning three. In 2003, NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue appointed him to the NFL's prestigious Competition Committee for the second time (2003-06; 1996-1999).
Casserly famously started with the Redskins in 1977 as an unpaid intern under Hall of Fame coach, George Allen. Washington hired Casserly as a scout the next season and during his early years as a scout. He unearthed free agents Joe Jacoby and Jeff Bostic, who were original members of the famed "Hogs" offensive line and key components of Washington's first two Super Bowl teams. Jacoby was selected to four Pro Bowls and Bostic made one trip to Honolulu. The Redskins elevated Casserly to Assistant General Manager in 1982 and the club went on to capture its first Super Bowl. That year, Casserly also re-instituted the club's intern program, which has produced more than 20 league executives over his years in Washington and Houston.
In 1987 during the NFL players strike, Casserly put together the Redskins' "replacement" team that went 3-0 before the strike ended, including a Monday Night win against a Dallas team that featured a number of its star players. That experience was the subject of the Warner Bros. feature film, "The Replacements," that starred Keanu Reeves and Gene Hackman.
Elevated to General Manager in 1989, Casserly sustained the Redskins' history of uncovering high-quality players in the later rounds of the draft. He used a fifth-round draft pick in 1990 to select Southwest Louisiana quarterback Brian Mitchell. Washington then converted Mitchell into a running back/kick returner, where he later joined Jim Brown as the only players in NFL history to lead the league in combined net yards four times. In 1996, Casserly plucked Auburn University running back Stephen Davis in the fourth round. Davis paced the NFC in rushing in 1999 with 1,450 yards. Casserly also drafted future Pro Bowlers in wide receiver Keenan McCardell (12th round, 1991) and tight end Frank Wycheck (sixth round, 1993). During the 1999 off-season, Casserly acquired veteran quarterback Brad Johnson who responded with a Pro Bowl season.
In 1999, Sports Illustrated, Pro Football Weekly, The Sporting News and USA Today named Casserly their NFL Executive of the Year at mid-season. On draft day in 1999, Casserly acquired all of the New Orleans Saints 1999 selections, plus their first and third-round picks in 2000 by simply swapping the Redskins' fifth selection in the first round for the Saints' 12th choice. He still managed to obtain the player that Washington wanted, selecting future Pro Bowl cornerback Champ Bailey.
Casserly also made some abysmal draft picks that included QB Heath Shuler (selected with the third overall pick), WR Desmond Howard (selected with the fourth overall pick) and WR Michael Westbrook (selected with the fourth overall pick), all of whom badly failed to play up to expectations. In 1996, he also traded up to obtain the thirtieth overall pick in the first round to select OL Andre Johnson out of Penn State, who never played a single down for the Redskins.
[edit] Houston Texans
During his four years leading the Texans in the NFL draft, Houston's draft record was dismal and included disappointing choices such as David Carr, Dave Ragone, Tony Hollings, Bennie Joppru, trading multiple picks to draft Jason Babin, trading away 2nd and 3rd rounds picks for Oakland bust Phillip Buchanon, and more.
Casserly has stated publicly that he was the decisionmaker in choosing Mario Williams in the 2006 NFL Draft over Vince Young or Reggie Bush, but many team observers believe Casserly was a lame duck at the time of the draft and that Texans owner Bob McNair and new head coach Gary Kubiak made the pick.
In December 2005, while the Texans were mired with the worst record in the NFL, team owner Bob McNair hired former NFL coach Dan Reeves to serve as a consultant and provide him with an outside perspective on the organization.
On May 11, 2006 Casserly resigned as general manager of the Texans and officially stepped down on June 1 after a 2-14 season.
[edit] Other Work
In addition, Casserly has had extensive experience in radio and television for 16 years. While in Washington, he was a part of local television shows on WUSA (CBS), WJLA (ABC), WTTG (Fox) and HTS (Home Team Sports), as well as radio shows on WTOP and WJFK. In Houston, Casserly did four years of television on KTRK (ABC) and six years of radio on KILT. In the Fall of 1999, he reported three times per week on ESPN radio and was a contributor on ESPN's show, "Edge NFL Match-Up."
Casserly is also employed by George Mason University as an executive-in-residence and instructor of sport management.[1]
