Tony Sparano
Encyclopedia
Anthony "Tony" Sparano III (born October 07, 1961) is an American Football head coach
of the Miami Dolphins
. At age 17, Sparano had an incident which burnt his eyes, which is why he always wears his signature sunglasses even at night. Sparano is the only National Football League head coach to lead a one-win team to the playoffs the following year and only the second to conduct a ten-game turnaround, both of which he accomplished in his first season with the Dolphins. However, Sparano and his team have struggled since.
, starting at center
for the New Haven Chargers and graduating in 1984.
. After one year as the team's offensive line coach, Sparano served five seasons as the Terriers' offensive coordinator.
, Washington Redskins
and Jacksonville Jaguars
. While with the Redskins, Sparano was partly responsible for launching the career of Ross Tucker
. Sparano was hired by new Dallas Cowboys
coach Bill Parcells
in 2003, rising from tight ends coach to assistant head coach in his five seasons in Dallas. Sparano was the offensive play-caller for Dallas in 2006, but ceded the responsibilities to new offensive coordinator Jason Garrett
the following season.
After firing Cam Cameron
following a franchise-worst 1–15 season, the Miami Dolphins
and new executive vice president of football operations Parcells hired Sparano to a four-year contract on January 16, 2008.
In his first season, Sparano led the Dolphins to an 11–5 record and the AFC East division title, securing the franchise's first playoff berth in seven seasons before losing to the Baltimore Ravens
in a wild-card game. The 10-win turnaround tied an NFL record and Sparano finished one vote behind Atlanta Falcons
first-year head coach Mike Smith in balloting for the AP Coach of the Year award.
In 2009 and 2010 each, Sparano led the Dolphins to a 7-9 record and third place in the AFC East. Sparano's Dolphins went 1-7 at home in 2010. Sparano was the subject of much ridicule at the end of the 2010 season when team owner Stephen Ross flew across the country with General Manager Jeff Ireland to interview then Stanford University coach Jim Harbaugh. At the time of the interview with Harbaugh, Sparano was still the team's head coach. It was also reported by numerous media sources that Ross also spoke with former NFL coaches Jon Gruden and Bill Cowher about the not yet open position. According to reports Bill Cowher told Ross he would not talk to him while he had a head coach in place.
On January 8, 2011, the Dolphins gave Sparano a two-year extension with Ross saying he was the perfect man for the job.
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...
of 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...
. At age 17, Sparano had an incident which burnt his eyes, which is why he always wears his signature sunglasses even at night. Sparano is the only National Football League head coach to lead a one-win team to the playoffs the following year and only the second to conduct a ten-game turnaround, both of which he accomplished in his first season with the Dolphins. However, Sparano and his team have struggled since.
College
Sparano was a four-year letterman for Division II University of New HavenUniversity of New Haven
The University of New Haven is a private university that combines a liberal arts education with professional training. The university comprises five colleges: the College of Arts and Sciences, the College of Business, the Tagliatela College of Engineering, the Henry C...
, starting at center
Center (American football)
Center is a position in American football and Canadian football . The center is the innermost lineman of the offensive line on a football team's offense...
for the New Haven Chargers and graduating in 1984.
Assistant coach
Sparano began his coaching career at his alma mater, serving as New Haven's offensive line coach for four seasons before joining the staff at Division I-AA Boston UniversityBoston University Terriers
The Boston University Terriers are the nine men's and twelve women's varsity athletic teams representing Boston University in NCAA Division I competition. The men compete in basketball, cross country, ice hockey, rowing, soccer, swimming, tennis, indoor and outdoor track, and wrestling...
. After one year as the team's offensive line coach, Sparano served five seasons as the Terriers' offensive coordinator.
Head coach
Sparano was named New Haven's head coach in 1994, and led the Chargers to two playoff appearances in five seasons. In 1997, New Haven led Division II in offense (42.8 points per game) and finished second in defense (11.6 points allowed per game) en route to a 12–2 record, losing to Northern Colorado in the championship game.Assistant coach
Beginning his NFL career in 1999, Sparano was fired in three staffing purges after brief stints with the Cleveland BrownsCleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, Washington Redskins
Washington Redskins
The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...
and Jacksonville Jaguars
Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jacksonville Jaguars are a professional American football team based in Jacksonville, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
. While with the Redskins, Sparano was partly responsible for launching the career of Ross Tucker
Ross Tucker
Ross Finch Tucker is a former American football offensive lineman, and currently an online journalist for ESPN....
. Sparano was hired by new 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...
coach Bill Parcells
Bill Parcells
Duane Charles "Bill" Parcells is a former American football head coach, most recently with the Dallas Cowboys from 2003 to 2006...
in 2003, rising from tight ends coach to assistant head coach in his five seasons in Dallas. Sparano was the offensive play-caller for Dallas in 2006, but ceded the responsibilities to new offensive coordinator Jason Garrett
Jason Garrett
Jason Calvin Garrett is an American former National Football League player and the current head coach of the Dallas Cowboys...
the following season.
Miami Dolphins
After firing Cam Cameron
Cam Cameron
-External links:...
following a franchise-worst 1–15 season, 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...
and new executive vice president of football operations Parcells hired Sparano to a four-year contract on January 16, 2008.
In his first season, Sparano led the Dolphins to an 11–5 record and the AFC East division title, securing the franchise's first playoff berth in seven seasons before losing to the Baltimore Ravens
Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens are a professional football franchise based in Baltimore, Maryland.The Baltimore Ravens are officially a quasi-expansion franchise, having originated in 1995 with the Cleveland Browns relocation controversy after Art Modell, then owner of the Cleveland Browns, announced his...
in a wild-card game. The 10-win turnaround tied an NFL record and Sparano finished one vote behind Atlanta Falcons
Atlanta Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are a member of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
first-year head coach Mike Smith in balloting for the AP Coach of the Year award.
In 2009 and 2010 each, Sparano led the Dolphins to a 7-9 record and third place in the AFC East. Sparano's Dolphins went 1-7 at home in 2010. Sparano was the subject of much ridicule at the end of the 2010 season when team owner Stephen Ross flew across the country with General Manager Jeff Ireland to interview then Stanford University coach Jim Harbaugh. At the time of the interview with Harbaugh, Sparano was still the team's head coach. It was also reported by numerous media sources that Ross also spoke with former NFL coaches Jon Gruden and Bill Cowher about the not yet open position. According to reports Bill Cowher told Ross he would not talk to him while he had a head coach in place.
On January 8, 2011, the Dolphins gave Sparano a two-year extension with Ross saying he was the perfect man for the job.
Head coaching record
| Team | |Regular season | MIA 2008 Miami Dolphins season The 2008 Miami Dolphins season was the organization's 39th season in the National Football League and 43rd overall. During the regular season the Dolphins completed the greatest single-season turnaround in NFL history, going from a 1–15 regular season record in 2007 to an 11–5 record in 2008... |
2008 2008 NFL season The 2008 NFL season was the 89th regular season of the National Football League, themed with the slogan "Believe in Now."Super Bowl XLIII, the league's championship game, was at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida on February 1, 2009, with the Pittsburgh Steelers coming out victorious over the... |
11 | 5 | 0 | 1st in AFC East | 0 | 1 | .000 | Lost to Baltimore Ravens Baltimore Ravens The Baltimore Ravens are a professional football franchise based in Baltimore, Maryland.The Baltimore Ravens are officially a quasi-expansion franchise, having originated in 1995 with the Cleveland Browns relocation controversy after Art Modell, then owner of the Cleveland Browns, announced his... in AFC Wild-Card Game |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MIA 2009 Miami Dolphins season The 2009 Miami Dolphins season was the organization's 40th season in the National Football League and 44th overall. The Dolphins entered the 2009 season as the reigning AFC East champions after posting an 11–5 record in 2008... |
2009 2009 NFL season The 2009 NFL season was the 90th regular season of the National Football League.The preseason started with the Pro Football Hall of Fame Game on August 9, 2009, and the regular season began September 10. The season ended with Super Bowl XLIV, the league's championship game, on February 7, 2010 at... |
7 | 9 | 0 | 3rd in AFC East | - | - | - | - | |||
| MIA 2010 Miami Dolphins season The 2010 Miami Dolphins season was the organization's 41st season in the National Football League and 45th overall. The Dolphins are entering the 2010 season coming off a third place finish in the AFC East 7–9-Staff Changes:... |
2010 2010 NFL season The 2010 NFL season was the 91st regular season of the National Football League.The regular season began with the NFL Kickoff game on NBC on Thursday, September 9, at the Louisiana Superdome as the New Orleans Saints, Super Bowl XLIV champions, defeated the Minnesota Vikings 14–9.Tom Brady,... |
7 | 9 | 0 | 3rd in AFC East | - | - | - | - | |||
| MIA 2011 Miami Dolphins season The 2011 Miami Dolphins season will be the team's 42nd season in the National Football League, the 46th overall and the fourth under head coach Tony Sparano... |
2011 2011 NFL season The 2011 NFL season, the 92nd regular season of the National Football League, began on Thursday, September 8, 2011 with the Super Bowl XLV champion Green Bay Packers defeating the New Orleans Saints 42–34 at Lambeau Field and will end with Super Bowl XLVI, the league's championship game, on... |
3 | 8 | 0 | 4th in AFC East | |||||||
| Total | 28 | 31 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .000 | ||||||
Coaching tree
NFL head coaches under whom Tony Sparano has served:- Chris Palmer, Cleveland BrownsCleveland BrownsThe Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
(1999–2000) - Marty SchottenheimerMarty SchottenheimerMartin Edward "Marty" Schottenheimer is the current head coach of the Virginia Destroyers of the United Football League. Over his career, he has served as head coach of the Cleveland Browns, Kansas City Chiefs, Washington Redskins, and San Diego Chargers. He has the most wins of any NFL coach...
, Washington RedskinsWashington RedskinsThe Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...
(2001) - Tom CoughlinTom CoughlinThomas Richard Coughlin is an American football coach who is currently head coach for the New York Giants of the National Football League . Coughlin has led the Giants to victory in Super Bowl XLII. Coughlin was also the inaugural head coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars, serving from 1995–2002 and...
, Jacksonville JaguarsJacksonville JaguarsThe Jacksonville Jaguars are a professional American football team based in Jacksonville, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
(2002) - Bill ParcellsBill ParcellsDuane Charles "Bill" Parcells is a former American football head coach, most recently with the Dallas Cowboys from 2003 to 2006...
, Dallas CowboysDallas CowboysThe 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...
(2003–2006) - Wade PhillipsWade PhillipsWade Allen Phillips is the defensive coordinator for the Houston Texans and former head coach for the National Football League's Dallas Cowboys, Denver Broncos, and Buffalo Bills. He was also an interim head coach for the New Orleans Saints and Atlanta Falcons...
, Dallas Cowboys (2007)