Dick Jauron

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Dick Jauron
'
Position(s):
Free safety
Jersey #(s):
Born: October 7, 1950 (1950-10-07) (age 57)
Peoria, Illinois
Career Information
Year(s): 19731980
NFL Draft: 1973 / Round: 4 / Pick: 91
College: Yale
Professional Teams

As Player

As Coach

Coaching Stats at PFR.com

Career Stats
Interceptions     25
Touchdowns     2
Games     100
Stats at NFL.com
Career Highlights and Awards

Richard Manual Jauron (born October 7, 1950 in Peoria, Illinois) has been the head coach of the Buffalo Bills of the National Football League since January 23, 2006.

Jauron has held head coaching positions with the Chicago Bears and Detroit Lions (interim basis). He was named the AP Coach of the Year in 2001 after leading the Bears to a 13-3 record.

Contents

[edit] High School Years

Jauron attended Swampscott High School in Swampscott, Massachusetts, and was a letterman in football, basketball, and baseball. In football, he was a Parade All-American selection as a senior, and was featured in the November 1968 issue of Sport magazine as Teenage Athlete Of The Month. He has been honored as one of the Top Ten all-time Massachusetts high school football by the Boston Globe.

[edit] Playing career

Jauron rushed for 2,947 yards at Yale, setting a school record that stood from 1973 to 2000, and was thrice named to the All-Ivy League First Team, the only Yale football athlete to be so honored. He still holds several school records, including a streak of 16 consecutive 100-yard rushing games. Jauron was awarded the Nils V. "Swede" Nelson Award for sportsmanship following his senior season. While an undergraduate at Yale, he was a member of Wolf's Head Society.

After graduating from college, Jauron was selected in the fourth round of the 1973 NFL Draft by the Detroit Lions. He started at free safety as a rookie and was named to the 1974 Pro Bowl in his second season after leading the NFC in punt return average.

Jauron played with the Lions for five seasons (1973-1977) and the Cincinnati Bengals for three seasons (1978-1980) before a knee injury ended his career. He finished his playing career with 26 interceptions and two touchdowns.

[edit] Coaching career

[edit] National Football League

[edit] Assistant coach

Jauron began his coaching career in the NFL in 1985 as the Buffalo Bills defensive backs coach. He was offered the position by Bills defensive coordinator Hank Bullough, who was the Bengals defensive coordinator when Jauron was a player.

After one season with the Bills, Jauron was named the defensive backs coach for the Green Bay Packers and spent eight seasons (1986-1994) with the team.

Jauron became the defensive coordinator for the expansion Jacksonville Jaguars in 1995 at the invitation of then-Jaguars head coach Tom Coughlin, whom he coached with at Green Bay. The Jaguars made the playoffs in three of the four seasons (1995-1998) Jauron coached, including an appearance in the 1996 AFC Championship Game.

Jauron served as the Lions defensive coordinator during the 2004 season and the first 11 games of the 2005 season before being named the team's interim head coach.

[edit] Head coach

[edit] Chicago Bears

Jauron became the 12th head coach in Chicago Bears history on January 23, 1999, when he was hired to replace Dave Wannstedt, who was fired after two consecutive 4-12 seasons. He coached the Bears for five seasons (1999-2003), finishing with a 35-45 regular season record.

In his first two seasons with the Bears, Chicago finished last in the NFC Central with 6-10 and 5-11 records.

Jauron, however, led the greatest turnaround in team history during his third season. Chicago finished 13-3 in an incredible 2001 campaign where the team went 8-0 in games decided by seven points or less, including back-to-back overtime victories. Jauron became the third coach in team history (George Halas, Mike Ditka) to record at least 13 wins in a season and was named the 2001 AP Coach of the Year. Current Bears head coach Lovie Smith joined that group following the Bears' 13-3 regular season in 2006.

After earning their first division title in 11 years, however, Chicago lost a home game to the Philadelphia Eagles, 33-19, in the NFC Divisional Playoffs. The Bears did not return to the playoffs under Jauron, finishing 4-12 and 7-9 in his last two seasons with the team. He was fired by the Bears after the 2003 season and replaced by current head coach Smith.

[edit] Detroit Lions

Jauron was then hired by Lions as a defensive coordinator. He was promoted to interim head coach of the Lions on November 28, 2005, after the mid-season firing of head coach Steve Mariucci. Detroit was 4-7 when Jauron took over and won only one of their last five games, finishing the season 5-11. Although Jauron was one of many candidates who interviewed for the head coaching position after the season, he was passed over for Rod Marinelli.

[edit] Buffalo Bills

Jauron was named the 14th head coach in Buffalo Bills history on Jan 23, 2006, following the resignation of Mike Mularkey. The Bills finished 7-9 and finished third in the AFC East in their first season under Jauron.

Following his second season, the Buffalo Bills managed another 7-9 record, this time finishing second in the AFC East.

[edit] Head coaching record

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Team Year Regular Season Post Season
Won Lost Ties Win % Finish Won Lost Win % Result
CHI 1999 6 10 0 .375 5th in NFC Central - - - -
CHI 2000 5 11 0 .313 5th in NFC Central - - - -
CHI 2001 13 3 0 .813 1st in NFC Central 0 1 .000 Lost to Philadelphia Eagles in Divisional Round.
CHI 2002 4 12 0 .250 3rd in NFC North - - - -
CHI 2003 7 9 0 .438 3rd in NFC North - - - -
Bears' Total 35 45 0 .438 0 1 .000 -
DET* 2005 1 4 0 .200 3rd in NFC North - - - -
Lions' Total 1 4 0 .200 - - - -
BUF 2006 7 9 0 .438 3rd in AFC East - - - -
BUF 2007 7 9 0 .438 2rd in AFC East - - - -
Bills' Total 14 18 0 .438 - - - -
Total 50 67 0 .426 0 1 .000

*Interim head coach

[edit] Coaching tree

NFL head coaches that Dick Jauron has served under:

Assistant coaches under Dick Jauron that became head coaches in the NFL:

  • None

[edit] Awards

[edit] External links

Preceded by
Mike Mularkey
Buffalo Bills Head Coaches
2006–
Succeeded by
Current coach
Preceded by
Steve Mariucci
Detroit Lions Head Coaches
2005
Succeeded by
Rod Marinelli
Preceded by
Kurt Schottenheimer
Detroit Lions Defensive Coordinators
2004-2005
Succeeded by
Donnie Henderson
Preceded by
Dave Wannstedt
Chicago Bears Head Coaches
1999–2003
Succeeded by
Lovie Smith
Preceded by
N/A
Jacksonville Jaguars Defensive Coordinators
1995–1998
Succeeded by
Dom Capers