George Allen

Coaching Record

Years Coached Record Win % Playoff record Playoff win %
21 185-93-8 66.08% 3-7 30.00%

Coaching Tree

Parents:

Sid Gillman, George Halas

Children:

Marion Campbell, Ted Marchibroda, Mike McCormack, Pete McCulley, Jack Patera, Dick Vermeil, Joe Walton


Biography

Table of Contents

Career Summary

George Allen was a football coach in the National Football League (NFL) from 1957 to 1977, finishing his career as the head coach of the Washington Redskins. Over his twenty-one years of coaching his teams compiled a cumulative win/loss record of 185-93-8. During his career he was a head coach for twelve seasons, first with the Los Angeles Rams. He led the Rams for five seasons, compiling a record of 49-17-4. His next head coaching stint was with the Washington Redskins from 1971 to 1977, as he led the team to a 67-30-1 record. He was fired from the Redskins on Wednesday, January 18, 1978. Allen was fired after after being offered a four year, $1 million contract extension. After initially agreeing in July, he did not actually sign it and in January the team fired Allen. During his entire head coaching career, his two teams combined for a record of 116-47-5 across twelve seasons including going 2-7-0 in the playoffs.

Allen was enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2002 after his coaching career. Allen was the 12th modern-era head coach elected to the hall.

Career Awards

Allen won the NFL's Coach of the Year award two times throughout his career, most recently in 1971 after guiding the Redskins to a 9-4-1 record and a berth in the playoffs. As the head coach of the Los Angeles Rams he coached one player to an award-winning season: Roman Gabriel, Most Valuable Player in 1969. As the head coach of the Washington Redskins he coached two players to award-winning seasons: Larry Brown, AP Offensive Player of the Year in 1972; Larry Brown, Most Valuable Player in 1972; Mike Thomas, AP Offensive Rookie of the Year in 1975.

George Allen Coaching Tree

Before he was a head coach, Allen served as an assistant coach for Sid Gillman and George Halas. Eight of these years were spent on Halas' coaching staff. During his time as head coach, seven assistant coaches, (Ted Marchibroda, Jack Patera, Marion Campbell, Dick Vermeil, Mike McCormack, Joe Walton, and Pete McCulley) on his coaching staff were hired as head coaches across the league. His coaching tree has combined for a record of 357-460-4 in the regular season and 9-11 in the playoffs during their fifty-five seasons as head coach after serving on his coaching staffs. The coaching tree has won a single championship, in 1999 by the St. Louis Rams, led by Dick Vermeil.

Personal Information

Allen was born on Monday, April 29, 1918 in Detroit, Michigan. He died on Monday, December 31, 1990 at the age of 72.


History

Year Position Record Playoff record
1977 Washington Redskins Head Coach 9-5-0 0-0
1976 Washington Redskins Head Coach 10-4-0 0-1
1975 Washington Redskins Head Coach 8-6-0 0-0
1974 Washington Redskins Head Coach 10-4-0 0-1
1973 Washington Redskins Head Coach 10-4-0 0-1
1972 Washington Redskins Head Coach 11-3-0 2-1
1971 Washington Redskins Head Coach 9-4-1 0-1
1970 Los Angeles Rams Head Coach 9-4-1 0-0
1969 Los Angeles Rams Head Coach 11-3-0 0-1
1968 Los Angeles Rams Head Coach 10-3-1 0-0
1967 Los Angeles Rams Head Coach 11-1-2 0-1
1966 Los Angeles Rams Head Coach 8-6-0 0-0
1965 Chicago Bears Defensive Coordinator / Head of Player Personnel 9-5-0 0-0
1964 Chicago Bears Defensive Coordinator / Head of Player Personnel 5-9-0 0-0
1963 Chicago Bears Defensive Coordinator / Head of Player Personnel 11-1-2 1-0
1962 Chicago Bears Defensive Coordinator / Head of Player Personnel 9-5-0 0-0
1961 Chicago Bears Assistant Coach / Head of Player Personnel 8-6-0 0-0
1960 Chicago Bears Assistant Coach / Head of Player Personnel 5-6-1 0-0
1959 Chicago Bears Assistant Coach / Head of Player Personnel 8-4-0 0-0
1958 Chicago Bears Consultant / Head of Player Personnel 8-4-0 0-0
1957 Los Angeles Rams Offensive Ends Coach 6-6-0 0-0

Coach history guide

Seasons with a championship win Seasons with a conference championship

Coach facts

  • Years as head coach: 12
  • Years as a coordinator: 4
  • Championships won: 1963
  • Conference Championships won: 1972
  • Coach of the Year: 1967, 1971
  • Led the league in wins: 1963
  • Second in total wins for the Washington Commanders.
  • Fifth in total wins for the Los Angeles Rams.
  • First in winning percentage for the Los Angeles Rams.
  • Second in winning percentage for the Washington Commanders.
  • Fourth in winning percentage in NFL history.
  • Past teams coached for: Washington Redskins, Los Angeles Rams, Chicago Bears
  • Date of Birth: Monday, April 29, 1918 (72 years old), Detroit, Michigan
  • George Allen was one of the first coaches to use two-a-days and emphasize special teams. He would be fired during his last head coaching stint because his players thought these pracices were to extreme.
  • George Allen popularized the 16 hour coaching day.
  • George Allen has the highest winning percentage of any coach who has not won a championship (Minimum two seasons)
  • George Allen never coached a team to a losing record.
  • George Allen , as the head coach of the Rams, was the first head coach to hire a Special Teams coach.