Jim Eddy
Encyclopedia
Jim Eddy is a football coach who worked in the National Football League
, Canadian Football League
, as well as in college
.
Eddy's coaching career began in 1968 when he joined the coaching staff of the New Mexico State Aggies
at his alma mater, New Mexico State University
. In 1972, he left NMSU to join Tommy Hudspeth
's UTEP Miners
coaching staff as the defensive back
field coach. Eddy next coaching job was as the defensive coordinator
of Saskatchewan Roughriders
, which he held until he was promoted to head coach
in 1977
. In Eddy's first season, the Roughriders went 8-8 and missed the playoffs only one season removed from playing the Ottawa Rough Riders
in the 64th Grey Cup
. Eddy was fired during the 1978 CFL season
after the Riders lost their first five games. In 1979
, Eddy joined the Hamilton Tiger-Cats
coaching staff, where he was reunited with his former boss in Saskatchewan, John Payne. His next coaching job was with the Montreal Alouettes
, first as the defensive backfield coach, then as the Als interim head coach. In 1982, Eddy moved to the front office as the Toronto Argonauts
Director of Player Personnel. Along with head coach Bob O'Billovich
, Eddy rebuilt an Argonauts team that had gone 2-14 the prior season into a team that won the East Division
championships in both of Eddy's seasons there and won the 71st Grey Cup
in 1983. Eddy was the head coach of the San Antonio Gunslingers
for both of the team's seasons in the USFL. Eddy had a 12-24 overall record as the Gunslingers' head coach.
In 1986, Jack Pardee
hired Eddy to become defensive coordinator of the head coach of the Houston Cougars football
team. Eddy followed Pardee to the Houston Oilers, where he remained the coach's defensive coordinator in 1990
. Eddy was fired following the Oilers 1992 playoff
loss to the Buffalo Bills
in an infamous game which would become known as The Comeback. Eddy would join the Dallas Cowboys
coaching staff in 1993 NFL season
as a Defensive Assistant and later as the team's Linebackers coach. While in Dallas, Eddy would win two Super Bowls. In 1996
, Eddy became the Detroit Lions
defensive coordinator. He would hold that job for only one season. In 2000
Eddy was a finalist for the vacant Dallas Cowboys head coaching position, but lost the job to Dave Campo
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
, Canadian Football League
Canadian Football League
The Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football....
, as well as in college
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
.
Eddy's coaching career began in 1968 when he joined the coaching staff of the New Mexico State Aggies
New Mexico State Aggies
New Mexico State University's teams are called the Aggies, a nickname derived from the university's agricultural beginnings. Since 2005, they have competed in the Western Athletic Conference. The mascot is known as "Pistol Pete". NMSU's colors are crimson and white. The current athletics director...
at his alma mater, New Mexico State University
New Mexico State University
New Mexico State University at Las Cruces , is a major land-grant university in Las Cruces, New Mexico, United States...
. In 1972, he left NMSU to join Tommy Hudspeth
Tommy Hudspeth
Tommy Hudspeth was a football coach at both the collegiate and professional levels. He served as head coach at Brigham Young University, the University of Texas-El Paso, the National Football League's Detroit Lions and the Canadian Football League's Toronto Argonauts.-Career:Hudspeth graduated...
's UTEP Miners
UTEP Miners
The UTEP Miners is the name given to the sports teams of the University of Texas at El Paso. Informally, the UTEP Miners have also been referred to as the Miners, UTEP, or Texas-El Paso. UTEP was a member of the Western Athletic Conference from 1967 to 2005, when they joined Rice, Tulsa, and SMU in...
coaching staff as the defensive back
Defensive back
In American football and Canadian football, defensive backs are the players on the defensive team who take positions somewhat back from the line of scrimmage; they are distinguished from the defensive line players and linebackers, who take positions directly behind or close to the line of...
field coach. Eddy next coaching job was as the defensive coordinator
Defensive coordinator
A defensive coordinator typically refers to a coach on a gridiron football team who is in charge of the defense. Generally, along with his offensive counterpart, he represents the second level of command structure after the head coach...
of Saskatchewan Roughriders
Saskatchewan Roughriders
The Saskatchewan Roughriders are a Canadian Football League team based in Regina, Saskatchewan. They were founded in 1910. They play their home games at 2940 10th Avenue in Regina, which has been the team's home base for its entire history, even prior to the construction of Mosaic Stadium at Taylor...
, which he held until he was promoted to head coach
Head coach
A head coach, senior coach or manager is a professional at training and developing athletes. They typically hold a more public profile and are paid more than other coaches...
in 1977
1977 CFL season
The 1977 Canadian Football League season is considered to be the 24th season in modern-day Canadian football, although it is officially the 20th Canadian Football League season.-CFL News in 1977:...
. In Eddy's first season, the Roughriders went 8-8 and missed the playoffs only one season removed from playing the Ottawa Rough Riders
Ottawa Rough Riders
The Ottawa Rough Riders were a Canadian Football League team based in Ottawa, Ontario, founded in 1876. One of the oldest and longest lived professional sports teams in North America, the Rough Riders won the Grey Cup championship nine times. Their most dominant era was the 1960s and 1970s, a...
in the 64th Grey Cup
64th Grey Cup
The 64th Grey Cup was played on November 28, 1976, before 53,467 fans at the Exhibition Stadium at Toronto. The Ottawa Rough Riders defeated the Saskatchewan Roughriders by the score 23 to 20 in what is considered one of the most thrilling Grey Cup games and with perhaps the most exciting plays in...
. Eddy was fired during the 1978 CFL season
1978 CFL season
The 1978 Canadian Football League season is considered to be the 25th season in modern-day Canadian football, although it is officially the 21st Canadian Football League season.-Final regular season standings:...
after the Riders lost their first five games. In 1979
1979 CFL season
The 1979 Canadian Football League season is considered to be the 26th season in modern-day Canadian football, although it is officially the 22nd Canadian Football League season.-CFL News in 1979:...
, Eddy joined the Hamilton Tiger-Cats
Hamilton Tiger-Cats
The Hamilton Tiger-Cats are a Canadian Football League team based in Hamilton, Ontario, founded in 1950 with the merger of the Hamilton Tigers and the Hamilton Wildcats. The Tiger-Cats play their home games at Ivor Wynne Stadium...
coaching staff, where he was reunited with his former boss in Saskatchewan, John Payne. His next coaching job was with the Montreal Alouettes
Montreal Alouettes
The Montreal Alouettes are a Canadian Football League team based in Montreal, Quebec.The current franchise named the Alouettes moved to Montreal from Baltimore, Maryland, in 1996 where they had been known as the Baltimore Stallions...
, first as the defensive backfield coach, then as the Als interim head coach. In 1982, Eddy moved to the front office as the Toronto Argonauts
Toronto Argonauts
The Toronto Argonauts are a professional Canadian football team competing in the East Division of the Canadian Football League. The Toronto, Ontario based team was founded in 1873 and is one of the oldest existing professional sports teams in North America, after the Chicago Cubs and the Atlanta...
Director of Player Personnel. Along with head coach Bob O'Billovich
Bob O'Billovich
Robert "Bob" O'Billovich, nicknamed "Obie", is the current General Manager of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats of the Canadian Football League....
, Eddy rebuilt an Argonauts team that had gone 2-14 the prior season into a team that won the East Division
Canadian Football League East Division
The East Division is one of the two regional divisions of the Canadian Football League. Although the CFL was not founded until 1958, the East Division and its clubs are descended from earlier leagues.- Pre-1907 :...
championships in both of Eddy's seasons there and won the 71st Grey Cup
71st Grey Cup
The 71st Grey Cup was the 1983 Canadian Football League championship game that was played at BC Place Stadium in Vancouver, between the Toronto Argonauts and the hometown BC Lions...
in 1983. Eddy was the head coach of the San Antonio Gunslingers
San Antonio Gunslingers
The San Antonio Gunslingers were a professional American football team based in San Antonio, Texas that played in the USFL in 1984 and 1985. Rick Neuheisel was the team's quarterback and only recognizable name. The team played in Alamo Stadium...
for both of the team's seasons in the USFL. Eddy had a 12-24 overall record as the Gunslingers' head coach.
In 1986, Jack Pardee
Jack Pardee
-NFL:-External links:...
hired Eddy to become defensive coordinator of the head coach of the Houston Cougars football
Houston Cougars football
The Houston Cougars football program is an NCAA Division I FBS football team that represents the University of Houston. The team is commonly referred to as "Houston" or "UH" . The UH football program is currently a member of the Conference USA intercollegiate athletic conference, and is coached by...
team. Eddy followed Pardee to the Houston Oilers, where he remained the coach's defensive coordinator in 1990
1990 NFL season
The 1990 NFL season was the 71st regular season of the National Football League. To increase revenue, the league changed the regular season so that all NFL teams would play their 16-game schedule over a 17-week period...
. Eddy was fired following the Oilers 1992 playoff
NFL playoffs, 1992-93
The NFL playoffs following the 1992 NFL season led up to Super Bowl XXVII.-Bracket:-NFC: Washington Redskins 24, Minnesota Vikings 7:Running back Brian Mitchell led the Redskins to the 24-7 victory with 109 rushing yards and 100 total yards on receptions and punt returns...
loss to the Buffalo Bills
Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
in an infamous game which would become known as The Comeback. Eddy would join the Dallas Cowboys
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
coaching staff in 1993 NFL season
1993 NFL season
The 1993 NFL season was the 74th regular season of the National Football League. For the first time in league history, all NFL teams played their 16-game schedule over a span of 18 weeks. After the success of expanding the regular season to a period of 17 weeks in 1990, the league hoped this new...
as a Defensive Assistant and later as the team's Linebackers coach. While in Dallas, Eddy would win two Super Bowls. In 1996
1996 NFL season
The 1996 NFL season was the 77th regular season of the National Football League and the season was marked by notable controversies from beginning to end...
, Eddy became the Detroit Lions
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...
defensive coordinator. He would hold that job for only one season. In 2000
2000 NFL season
The 2000 NFL season was the 81st regular season of the National Football League. The season ended with Super Bowl XXXV when the Baltimore Ravens defeated the New York Giants.Week 1 of the season reverted to Labor Day weekend in 2000...
Eddy was a finalist for the vacant Dallas Cowboys head coaching position, but lost the job to Dave Campo
Dave Campo
Dave Campo is an American football coach, a former head coach of the Dallas Cowboys, and currently secondary coach with the Cowboys.-High school years:...