Jeff Ireland
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| Jeff Ireland | |
|---|---|
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| Place of birth |  Abilene, Texas |
| Position(s) | General Manager |
| College | Baylor |
| Team(s) as a player | |
| 1988-1991 | Baylor |
| Team(s) as a coach/administrator | |
1992-93 1994-1996 1997-2000 2001-2004 2005-2007 2008-present |
North Texas (Special Teams) NFL Scouting Combine Scout Kansas City Chiefs Scout Dallas Cowboys National Scout V.P. of College & Pro Scouting Miami Dolphins General Manager |
Jeff Ireland (born in Abilene, Texas) is the general manager for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League. He has previously served as an executive for the Dallas Cowboys, a scout for the Kansas City Chiefs and an assistant coach for the North Texas Mean Green. He played college football for the Baylor Bears. As a child he was a ball boy for the Chicago Bears.
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[edit] High School and College career
Ireland was a placekicker for Cooper High School in the 1980s, and then for the Baylor Bears from 1988 to 1991. Upon the conclusion of his playing career, he served as special teams coach for the North Texas Mean Green from 1992 to 1993.
Against Rice in 1991, a 20.5 point underdog, he made a 58-yard field goal, then missed field goals of 43, 45, and 27 yards. Baylor lost the game by three points. Baylor was ranked 8th in the Associated Press poll at that time, and has never been ranked that high since.[1]
[edit] Professional career
[edit] Early years
Ireland began his professional career as a scout for the NFL Scouting Combine - a job he served from 1994 to 1996. He then became a scout for the Kansas City Chiefs, holding the position from 1997 to 2000.
[edit] Dallas Cowboys
In 2001, Ireland became a national scout for the Dallas Cowboys. During Ireland's time as a college scout, the team drafted four future Pro Bowl selections - safety Roy Williams, offensive lineman Andre Gurode, cornerback Terence Newman and tight end Jason Witten. Ireland served in that capacity until 2005, when he was promoted to the position of Vice President of College and Pro Scouting.
In what would be Ireland's final season with Dallas in 2007, the Cowboys went 13-3 and won the NFC East title. At the time of his departure in January 2008, 38 of the team's 53 players were acquired over the past three years, including 12 of 22 starters.
[edit] Miami Dolphins
On January 2, 2008 Ireland was officially hired as general manager of the Miami Dolphins. He was hired by new Executive Vice President of Football Operations, Bill Parcells. Ireland and Parcells had worked together previously, as the latter served as head coach of the Dallas Cowboys from 2003 to 2006.
Although Ireland will officially have final say over player personnel in Miami, it has been speculated that Bill Parcells will make such decisions.[2] The Dolphins were able to hire Ireland away from the Cowboys because he did not have final say in Dallas.
[edit] Personal
Ireland is the stepson of College Football Hall of Famer E. J. Holub, who played center and linebacker for the Kansas City Chiefs and Dallas Texans. Ireland is also the grandson of Jim Parmer, who played for the Philadelphia Eagles and was a personnel executive for the Chicago Bears. Jeff and his wife, Rachel, have four children.
