Joe Collier
Encyclopedia
Joel D. Collier is a former American football
coach
. He was head coach of the American Football League
's Buffalo Bills
from 1966
through part of 1968
, compiiling a 13–16–1 record.
Collier attended Northwestern University
, where he played on the school's football team
. In 1952
, his junior season, he broke Big Ten Conference
records by catching seven touchdown
passes and accumulating 650 receiving yards. Following the 1953 college football season
, in which he captained the Wildcats, Collier was selected by the New York Giants
in the 22nd round of the 1954 NFL Draft
. However, Collier decided not to play professional football, instead becoming an assistant coach at Western Illinois University
after a three-year stint in the U.S. Army.
After spending two seasons as an assistant coach with the Boston Patriots
of the brand new AFL
, Collier joined the Buffalo Bills in 1962 and was promoted to head coach in 1966. The Bills' best season under Collier came in his first year, when they won the Eastern Division with a 9–4–1 record, eventually losing to the Kansas City Chiefs
in the AFL Championship Game. After coming within one game of an AFL championship, the team slumped to 4–10 in 1967
. After a poor performance by the Bills in a 1968 pre-season game, Collier set up a scrimmage for his team. During the practice session, quarterback
Jack Kemp
broke his right leg, an injury that forced him to undergo season-ending surgery. The Bills fired Collier after a 48–6 loss to the Oakland Raiders
in the second week of the regular season. Sports Illustrated
opined that "Collier's fate undoubtedly was decided..." by Kemp's injury.
Following his time as head coach of the Bills, Collier became a Denver Broncos
coach in 1969
and spent 20 years with the team, who reached three Super Bowl
s with him as defensive coordinator
. Collier was the architect of the Broncos' 3-4 defense in the late 1970s, a scheme that was known as the Orange Crush Defense
. After being hired by Lou Saban
, he remained the defensive coordinator for four subsequent Broncos head coaches. Dan Reeves
fired Collier after the 1988 NFL season
. From 1991
to 1992
, he was defensive coordinator for the New England Patriots.
Collier's son, Joel Collier
, was hired in February 2009 by Kansas City Chiefs general manager Scott Pioli
, a former executive for the Patriots, as a defensive backs coach for Chiefs head coach Todd Haley
. Prior to that, Collier was the secondary coach of the New England Patriots, but was not retained following their 2007 season. Before his stint with the Patriots, he spent 11 years as an assistant for the Miami Dolphins
.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
coach
Coach (sport)
In sports, a coach is an individual involved in the direction, instruction and training of the operations of a sports team or of individual sportspeople.-Staff:...
. He was head coach of the American Football League
American Football League
The American Football League was a major American Professional Football league that operated from 1960 until 1969, when the established National Football League merged with it. The upstart AFL operated in direct competition with the more established NFL throughout its existence...
's 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...
from 1966
1966 American Football League season
The 1966 American Football League season was the seventh regular season of the American Football League, and one of the last before the AFL-NFL Merger. The league entered talks with the National Football League regarding a merger, which would take effect fully in 1970.The season also saw the debut...
through part of 1968
1968 American Football League season
The 1968 American Football League season was the ninth regular season of the American Football League, and its penultimate season prior to the AFL-NFL Merger....
, compiiling a 13–16–1 record.
Collier attended Northwestern University
Northwestern University
Northwestern University is a private research university in Evanston and Chicago, Illinois, USA. Northwestern has eleven undergraduate, graduate, and professional schools offering 124 undergraduate degrees and 145 graduate and professional degrees....
, where he played on the school's football team
Northwestern Wildcats football
The Northwestern Wildcats football team, representing Northwestern University, is a NCAA Division I team and member of the Big Ten Conference, with evidence of organization in 1876...
. In 1952
1952 college football season
The 1952 college football season ended with the unbeaten Michigan State Spartans and Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets each claiming the national championship according to different polls. Michigan State finished first according to two of the "wire service" polls which also both placed Georgia Tech...
, his junior season, he broke Big Ten Conference
Big Ten Conference
The Big Ten Conference is the United States' oldest Division I college athletic conference. Its twelve member institutions are located primarily in the Midwestern United States, stretching from Nebraska in the west to Pennsylvania in the east...
records by catching seven touchdown
Touchdown
A touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone.-Description:...
passes and accumulating 650 receiving yards. Following the 1953 college football season
1953 college football season
The 1953 college football season finished with the Maryland Terrapins capturing the AP, INS, and UPI national championship after Notre Dame held the top spot for the first nine weeks. The #4 Oklahoma Sooners defeated Maryland in the Orange Bowl, but there was no further polling after the November...
, in which he captained the Wildcats, Collier was selected by the New York Giants
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
in the 22nd round of the 1954 NFL Draft
1954 NFL Draft
The 1954 National Football League Draft was held on January 28, 1954.-Player selections:-Round one:-Round two:-Round three:-Round four:-Round five:-Round six:-Round seven:-Round eight:-Round nine:-Round ten:-Round eleven:...
. However, Collier decided not to play professional football, instead becoming an assistant coach at Western Illinois University
Western Illinois University
Western Illinois University is a public university founded in 1899 as Western Illinois State Normal School. Like many similar institutions of the time, Western Illinois State Normal School focused on teacher training for its relatively small body of students. As the normal school grew, it became...
after a three-year stint in the U.S. Army.
After spending two seasons as an assistant coach with the Boston Patriots
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National...
of the brand new AFL
American Football League
The American Football League was a major American Professional Football league that operated from 1960 until 1969, when the established National Football League merged with it. The upstart AFL operated in direct competition with the more established NFL throughout its existence...
, Collier joined the Buffalo Bills in 1962 and was promoted to head coach in 1966. The Bills' best season under Collier came in his first year, when they won the Eastern Division with a 9–4–1 record, eventually losing to the Kansas City Chiefs
Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. They are a member of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Originally named the Dallas Texans, the club was founded by Lamar Hunt in 1960 as a...
in the AFL Championship Game. After coming within one game of an AFL championship, the team slumped to 4–10 in 1967
1967 American Football League season
The 1967 American Football League season was the eighth regular season of the American Football League, and one of the last before the AFL-NFL Merger....
. After a poor performance by the Bills in a 1968 pre-season game, Collier set up a scrimmage for his team. During the practice session, quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
Jack Kemp
Jack Kemp
Jack French Kemp was an American politician and a collegiate and professional football player. A Republican, he served as Housing Secretary in the administration of President George H. W. Bush from 1989 to 1993, having previously served nine terms as a congressman for Western New York's 31st...
broke his right leg, an injury that forced him to undergo season-ending surgery. The Bills fired Collier after a 48–6 loss to the Oakland Raiders
Oakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
in the second week of the regular season. Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated is an American sports media company owned by media conglomerate Time Warner. Its self titled magazine has over 3.5 million subscribers and is read by 23 million adults each week, including over 18 million men. It was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the...
opined that "Collier's fate undoubtedly was decided..." by Kemp's injury.
Following his time as head coach of the Bills, Collier became a Denver Broncos
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
coach in 1969
1969 American Football League season
The 1969 American Football League season was the tenth regular season of the American Football League, and the last one before the AFL-NFL Merger...
and spent 20 years with the team, who reached three Super Bowl
Super Bowl
The Super Bowl is the championship game of the National Football League , the highest level of professional American football in the United States, culminating a season that begins in the late summer of the previous calendar year. The Super Bowl uses Roman numerals to identify each game, rather...
s with him as 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...
. Collier was the architect of the Broncos' 3-4 defense in the late 1970s, a scheme that was known as the Orange Crush Defense
Orange Crush Defense
Orange Crush Defense was the 3-4 defense of the Denver Broncos during the 1970s.It was one of the top defenses of its time with linebackers Randy Gradishar and Tom Jackson, with Gradishar as a potential Hall of Famer...
. After being hired by Lou Saban
Lou Saban
Louis Henry Saban was an American football player and coach. Saban played for Indiana University in college and as a pro for the Cleveland Browns of the All-America Football Conference...
, he remained the defensive coordinator for four subsequent Broncos head coaches. Dan Reeves
Dan Reeves
Daniel Edward Reeves is a former American football player and head coach. He has participated in more Super Bowls as player/assistant coach/Head Coach than anyone else...
fired Collier after the 1988 NFL season
1988 NFL season
The 1988 NFL season was the 69th regular season of the National Football League. The Cardinals relocated from St. Louis, Missouri to the Phoenix, Arizona area becoming the Phoenix Cardinals but remained in the NFC East division....
. From 1991
1991 NFL season
The 1991 NFL season was the 72nd regular season of the National Football League. The season ended with Super Bowl XXVI when the Washington Redskins defeated the Buffalo Bills....
to 1992
1992 NFL season
The 1992 NFL season was the 73rd regular season of the National Football League.Due to the damage caused by Hurricane Andrew, the New England Patriots–Miami Dolphins game that was scheduled for September 6 at Joe Robbie Stadium was rescheduled to October 18. Both teams originally had that...
, he was defensive coordinator for the New England Patriots.
Collier's son, Joel Collier
Joel Collier
Joel Collier is an American football assistant general manager for the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League...
, was hired in February 2009 by Kansas City Chiefs general manager Scott Pioli
Scott Pioli
Scott Pioli is a professional American football executive, currently serving as the general manager for the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League . Pioli was previously a front office executive for the Cleveland Browns, Baltimore Ravens, New York Jets, and New England Patriots...
, a former executive for the Patriots, as a defensive backs coach for Chiefs head coach Todd Haley
Todd Haley
Todd Haley is the head coach of the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League . Prior to joining the Chiefs, Haley served as the Arizona Cardinals' offensive coordinator from 2007 to 2008, and was the wide receivers coach for the New York Jets, Chicago Bears, and Dallas Cowboys.-Early...
. Prior to that, Collier was the secondary coach of the New England Patriots, but was not retained following their 2007 season. Before his stint with the Patriots, he spent 11 years as an assistant for the Miami Dolphins
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
.