Les Bingaman

Coaching Record

Years Coached Record Win % Playoff record Playoff win %
9 53-65-6 45.16% 0-0 0.00%

Biography

Career Summary

Les Bingaman was a football coach in the National Football League (NFL) from 1960 to 1969, finishing his career as the defensive line coach of the Miami Dolphins. Over his nine years of coaching his teams compiled a cumulative win/loss record of 53-65-6.

Personal Information

Bingaman was born on Wednesday, February 3, 1926 in McKenzie, Tennessee. He died on Friday, November 20, 1970 at the age of 44.

Table of Contents

Playing Career

Illinois Fighting Illini

Bingaman played college football at the University of Illinois from 1946-48. During this time, the team won their first conference championship in almost twenty years and finished the 1946 season nationally ranked for the first time in university history. The 1946 season also represented their first ever bowl game and victory.

Detroit Lions

Following his career at Illinois, the Detroit Lions drafted Bingaman in the 3rd round of the 1948 NFL draft. During his seven years with the Lions, they had their most successful seasons in team history. The team went to three straight NFL championship games, winning two, Bingaman was selected to four straight AP All-Pro teams (51-54) and three straight Pro Bowls (52-54).

During his playing career, he was considered one of the greatest middle guards to play on the five-man defensive line. He was also one of the largest players in the NFL, tipping the scale at almost 350 pounds toward the end of his career.

Coaching Career

Detroit Lions

After a few years away from the game, Bingaman returned to the Lions as their defensive line coach in 1960 under head coach George Wilson. However, the success of his playing career had since passed and the Lions would not play for a championship during his five year tenure. The team had three straight second place finishes in the Western conference, but couldn’t make a championship appearance. After the 1964 season and a disappointing 7-5-2 finish for 4th in the conference, head coach George Wilson was fired and Bingaman moved to a new team.

Miami Dolphins

In 1965, Bingaman he began working for the expansion team, the Miami Dolphins. His first role with the team was special assistant and player personnel director. In 1966, the first season for the Miami Dolphins, he moved to defensive line coach, again working for Wilson. However, the team still struggled in their early years, never posting a winning record in the first four seasons under head coach Wilson. During the 1969 season, Bingaman collapsed on the sideline from a heart attack.

For the 1970 season, Wilson was replaced with Don Shula. Shula retained Bingaman to continue coaching the defensive line. However, Bingaman would not coach a full season. Bingaman died midseason in his sleep due to another heart attack.

History

Year Position Record Playoff record
1969 Miami Dolphins Defensive Line Coach 3-10-1 0-0
1968 Miami Dolphins Defensive Line Coach 5-8-1 0-0
1967 Miami Dolphins Defensive Line Coach 4-10-0 0-0
1966 Miami Dolphins Defensive Line Coach 3-11-0 0-0
1964 Detroit Lions Defensive Line Coach 7-5-2 0-0
1963 Detroit Lions Defensive Line Coach 5-8-1 0-0
1962 Detroit Lions Defensive Line Coach 11-3-0 0-0
1961 Detroit Lions Defensive Line Coach 8-5-1 0-0
1960 Detroit Lions Defensive Line Coach 7-5-0 0-0

Coach history guide

Seasons with a championship win Seasons with a conference championship

Coach facts