Marty Schottenheimer

Coaching Record

Years Coached Record Win % Playoff record Playoff win %
30 252-213-1 54.18% 5-15 25.00%

Coaching Tree

Parents:

Bill Arnsparger, Monte Clark, John McVay, Sam Rutigliano

Children:

Cam Cameron, Bill Cowher, Gunther Cunningham, Tony Dungy, Herman Edwards, Lindy Infante, Hue Jackson, Mike McCarthy, Tony Sparano, Bruce Arians, Rob Chudzinski, Marc Trestman


Biography

Table of Contents

Career Summary

Marty Schottenheimer was a football coach in the National Football League (NFL) from 1975 to 2006, finishing his career as the head coach of the San Diego Chargers. Over his thirty years of coaching his teams compiled a cumulative win/loss record of 252-213-1. During his career he was a head coach for twenty seasons, first with the Cleveland Browns. He led the Browns for four seasons, compiling a record of 40-23-0. He resigned from the Browns on Wednesday, December 28, 1988. His next head coaching stint was with the Kansas City Chiefs from 1989 to 1998, as he led the team to a 101-58-1 record. He resigned from the Chiefs. His third head coach placement began in 2001 with the Washington Redskins. He coached them for one season and the team had a 8-8-0 record during his tenure. He was fired from the Redskins on Sunday, January 13, 2002. His last opportunity as head coach began in 2002 with the San Diego Chargers. He coached them for five seasons and the team had a 47-33-0 during his tenure with the team. He was fired from the Chargers on Monday, February 12, 2007. During his entire head coaching career, his four teams combined for a record of 196-122-1 across twenty seasons including going 5-13-0 in the playoffs.

Career Awards

Schottenheimer won the NFL's Coach of the Year award in 2004 after guiding the Chargers to a 12-4-0 record and a a berth in the playoffs. During his time as defensive coordinator and head coach he coached eight players to award-winning seasons. As the head coach for the Chiefs Marcus Allen won Comeback Player of the Year, Barry Word won Comeback Player of the Year, Derrick Thomas won AP Defensive Rookie of the Year, and Dale Carter won AP Defensive Rookie of the Year. As the head coach for the Chargers LaDainian Tomlinson won AP Offensive Player of the Year and Most Valuable Player, Drew Brees won Comeback Player of the Year, and Shawne Merriman won AP Defensive Rookie of the Year. As the defensive coordinator for the Browns Chip Banks won AP Defensive Rookie of the Year.

Marty Schottenheimer Coaching Tree

Before he was a head coach, Schottenheimer served as an assistant coach for Bill Arnsparger, John McVay, Monte Clark, and Sam Rutigliano. Five of these years were spent on Rutigliano's coaching staff. During his time as head coach, twelve assistant coaches, (Bill Cowher, Lindy Infante, Marc Trestman, Tony Dungy, Bruce Arians, Herman Edwards, Mike McCarthy, Gunther Cunningham, Hue Jackson, Tony Sparano, Cam Cameron, and Rob Chudzinski) on his coaching staff were hired as head coaches across the league. His coaching tree has combined for a record of 699-580-5 in the regular season and 40-39 in the playoffs during their eighty-one seasons as head coach after serving on his coaching staffs. The coaching tree has combined for four championships, most recently in 2020 by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, led by Bruce Arians.

Playing Career

Schottenheimer played linebacker while at college.

Personal Information

Schottenheimer was born on Thursday, September 23, 1943 in Canonsburg, Pennsylvania. He died on Monday, February 8, 2021 at the age of 77. He married his wife, Pat, in 1968. The couple had two children, a daughter, Kristen, and a son, Brian. Brian also has worked as an NFL coach, as has Schottenheimer's younger brother Kurt. He was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease in 2011 and made the diagnosis public in 2016. He died on February 8, 2021 at the age of 77 years old.


History

Year Position Record Playoff record
2006 San Diego Chargers Head Coach 14-2-0 0-1
2005 San Diego Chargers Head Coach 9-7-0 0-0
2004 San Diego Chargers Head Coach 12-4-0 0-1
2003 San Diego Chargers Head Coach 4-12-0 0-0
2002 San Diego Chargers Head Coach 8-8-0 0-0
2001 Washington Redskins Head Coach 8-8-0 0-0
1998 Kansas City Chiefs Head Coach 7-9-0 0-0
1997 Kansas City Chiefs Head Coach 13-3-0 0-1
1996 Kansas City Chiefs Head Coach 9-7-0 0-0
1995 Kansas City Chiefs Head Coach 13-3-0 0-1
1994 Kansas City Chiefs Head Coach 9-7-0 0-1
1993 Kansas City Chiefs Head Coach 11-5-0 2-1
1992 Kansas City Chiefs Head Coach 10-6-0 0-1
1991 Kansas City Chiefs Head Coach 10-6-0 1-1
1990 Kansas City Chiefs Head Coach 11-5-0 0-1
1989 Kansas City Chiefs Head Coach 8-7-1 0-0
1988 Cleveland Browns Head Coach 10-6-0 0-1
1987 Cleveland Browns Head Coach 10-5-0 1-1
1986 Cleveland Browns Head Coach 12-4-0 1-1
1985 Cleveland Browns Head Coach 8-8-0 0-1
1984 Cleveland Browns Interim Head Coach / Defensive Coordinator 5-11-0 0-0
1983 Cleveland Browns Defensive Coordinator 9-7-0 0-0
1982 Cleveland Browns Defensive Coordinator 4-5-0 0-1
1981 Cleveland Browns Defensive Coordinator 5-11-0 0-0
1980 Cleveland Browns Defensive Coordinator 11-5-0 0-1
1979 Detroit Lions Linebackers Coach 2-14-0 0-0
1978 Detroit Lions Linebackers Coach 7-9-0 0-0
1977 New York Giants Defensive Coordinator 5-9-0 0-0
1976 New York Giants Linebackers Coach 3-11-0 0-0
1975 New York Giants Linebackers Coach 5-9-0 0-0

Coach history guide

Seasons with a championship win Seasons with a conference championship

Coach facts

  • Years as head coach: 20
  • Named the interim head coach during the 1984 season for the Cleveland Browns
  • Years as a coordinator: 6
  • Coach of the Year: 2004
  • Led the league in wins: 1995, 1997, 2006
  • Third in total wins for the Kansas City Chiefs.
  • Fourth in total wins for the Cleveland Browns.
  • Fourth in total wins for the Los Angeles Chargers.
  • Second in winning percentage for the Kansas City Chiefs.
  • Second in winning percentage for the Los Angeles Chargers.
  • Third in winning percentage for the Cleveland Browns.
  • Past teams coached for: San Diego Chargers, Washington Redskins, Kansas City Chiefs, Cleveland Browns, Detroit Lions, New York Giants
  • College Attended: Pittsburgh Panthers
  • Positions Played: Linebacker
  • Family Members: Kurt Schottenheimer, Brother
  • Date of Birth: Thursday, September 23, 1943 (77 years old), Canonsburg, Pennsylvania
  • Marty Schottenheimer has the most wins (200) of any head coach who didn't win a championship.