George Wilson (American football coach)

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George Wilson
Position: End
Personal information
Date of birth: February 3, 1914
Place of birth: Chicago, Illinois
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Place of death: Chicago, Illinois
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Career information
High school: Austin (Chicago, Illinois)
SJNMA (Delafield, Wisconsin)
College: Northwestern
Undrafted: 1937
Career history
As player:
As coach:
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics
Player stats at NFL.com
Head coaching record
Career: 68–84–8 (.450)
Player stats at PFR
Coaching stats at PFR

George William Wilson (February 3, 1914 – November 23, 1978) was a professional football end and later a coach for the National Football League's Detroit Lions and the American Football League's Miami Dolphins. He also played one season of professional basketball for the Chicago Bruins in 1939–40.[1]

Football

Playing career

He attended Northwestern University and played professionally for the Chicago Bears from 1937 to 1946, winning four NFL Championships as a player.

Coaching career

In 1957, he became the head coach of the Detroit Lions and, in that same season, won the NFL Championship over the Cleveland Browns, 59–14. Wilson was the first recipient of the NFL Coach of the Year Award. As of 2014, it is the last NFL championship won by the Lions. He was replaced following the 1964 season and spent one year as an assistant coach for the Washington Redskins before being named the first ever head coach of an American Football League expansion franchise, the Miami Dolphins, in 1966.[2] After four losing seasons in Miami, he was replaced with former Baltimore Colts coach Don Shula after the 1969–70 season.

In 1980, Wilson was inducted into the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame.[3]

Wilson's career record was 68–84–8 as head coach, with 2–0 record in the postseason. He is 65th in all-time wins by an NFL coach.

Head coaching record

Team Year Regular season Post season
Won Lost Ties Win % Finish Won Lost Win % Result
DET 1957 8 4 0 .667 1st in Western Conference 2 0 1.000 Won Western Conference Playoff over San Francisco 49ers
Won NFL Championship to Cleveland Browns
DET 1958 4 7 1 .364 5th in National Conference - - - -
DET 1959 3 8 1 .273 5th in National Conference - - - -
DET 1960 7 5 0 .583 Tied for 2nd in National Conference - - - -
DET 1961 8 5 1 .615 2nd in National Conference - - - -
DET 1962 11 3 0 .786 2nd in National Conference - - - -
DET 1963 5 8 1 .385 Tied for 4th in National Conference - - - -
DET 1964 7 5 2 .583 4th in National Conference - - - -
DET Total 53 45 6 .541 2 0 1.000 -
MIA 1966 3 11 0 .214 5th in Eastern Division - - - -
MIA 1967 4 10 0 .286 4th in Eastern Division - - - -
MIA 1968 5 8 1 .385 3rd in Eastern Division - - - -
MIA 1969 3 10 1 .231 5th in Eastern Division - - - -
MIA Total 15 39 2 .278 - - - -
Total 68 84 8 .450 2 0 1.000 1 NFL title in 12 seasons

Basketball

Playing career

A 6'1" forward, Wilson played in the National Basketball League (a forerunner to the NBA) during the 1939–40 season. He averaged 1.1 points per game in 16 games for the Chicago Bruins.[1]

Film Career

George Wilson appeared as himself in Paper Lion, the 1968 sports comedy film starring Alan Alda as writer George Plimpton, based on Plimpton's 1966 nonfiction book of the same title depicting his tryout with the Detroit Lions of the National Football League. The movie premiered in Detroit on October 2, 1968 and was released nationwide the week of October 14, 1968.

References

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  3. MICHIGAN SPORTS HALL OF FAME

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