Rick Forzano

Coaching Record

Years Coached Record Win % Playoff record Playoff win %
7 43-52-3 45.41% 0-0 0.00%

Coaching Tree

Parents:

Paul Brown, Don McCafferty, Charley Winner

Children:

Bill Belichick, Raymond Berry, Joe Bugel, Jerry Glanville, Tommy Hudspeth


Biography

Table of Contents

Career Summary

Rick Forzano was a football coach in the National Football League (NFL) from 1966 to 1976, finishing his career as the head coach of the Detroit Lions. Over his seven years of coaching his teams compiled a cumulative win/loss record of 43-52-3. He was the head coach of the Detroit Lions from 1974 until the 1976 season, during which time the Lions went 20-22-0. During his career he was a head coach for three seasons.

Career Awards

During the 1976 season as the head coach of the Detroit Lions he coached Greg Landry to the Comeback Player of the Year.

Rick Forzano Coaching Tree

Before he was a head coach, Forzano served as an assistant coach for Charley Winner, Paul Brown, and Don McCafferty. Two of these years were spent on Winner's coaching staff. During his time as head coach, five assistant coaches, (Raymond Berry, Jerry Glanville, Joe Bugel, Bill Belichick, and Tommy Hudspeth) on his coaching staff were hired as head coaches across the league. His coaching tree has combined for a record of 436-331-0 in the regular season and 37-19 in the playoffs during their forty-eight seasons as head coach after serving on his coaching staffs. The coaching tree has combined for six championships, most recently in 2018 by the New England Patriots, led by Bill Belichick.

Personal Information

Forzano was born on Tuesday, November 20, 1928 in Akron, Ohio. He died on Thursday, January 10, 2019 at the age of 90.


History

Year Position Record Playoff record
1976 Detroit Lions Head Coach 6-8-0 0-0
1975 Detroit Lions Head Coach 7-7-0 0-0
1974 Detroit Lions Head Coach 7-7-0 0-0
1973 Detroit Lions Offensive Backfield Coach 6-7-1 0-0
1968 Cincinnati Bengals Offensive Backs Coach 3-11-0 0-0
1967 St. Louis Cardinals Offensive Backs Coach / Game Scouting 6-7-1 0-0
1966 St. Louis Cardinals Offensive Backs Coach / Game Scouting 8-5-1 0-0

Coach history guide

Seasons with a championship win Seasons with a conference championship

Coach facts