Posted on 02/09/2021 8:38:41 AM PST by Rummyfan
Marty Schottenheimer, who won 200 regular-season games with four NFL teams thanks to his "Martyball" brand of smash-mouth football but regularly fell short in the playoffs, has died. He was 77.
Schottenheimer died Monday night in Charlotte, North Carolina, his family said through Bob Moore, former Kansas City Chiefs publicist. He was diagnosed with Alzheimer's in 2014. He was moved to a hospice on Jan. 30.
Schottenheimer was the eighth-winningest coach in NFL history. He went 200-126-1 in 21 seasons with the Cleveland Browns, Chiefs, Washington and Chargers.
His success was rooted in "Martyball," a conservative approach that featured a strong running game and tough defense. He hated the Raiders and loved the mantra, "One play at a time," which he'd holler at his players in the pre-kickoff huddle.
Winning in the regular season was never a problem. Schottenheimer's teams won 10 or more games 11 times, including a glistening 14-2 record with the Chargers in 2006 that earned them the AFC's No. 1 seed in the playoffs.
It's what happened in January that haunted Schottenheimer, who was just 5-13 in the postseason.
A Regular Winner Marty Schottenheimer was one of seven head coaches with 200 regular-season wins in NFL history.
COACH WINS Don Shula* 328 George Halas* 318 Bill Belichick 280 Tom Landry* 250 Curly Lambeau* 226 Andy Reid 221 Marty Schottenheimer 200 * Denotes Pro Football Hall of Famer
His playoff demons followed him to the end of his career.
(Excerpt) Read more at espn.com ...
It wasn’t his fault Earnest Byner fumbled!
There, fixed it.
I wonder if we are supposed to forget that the Washington franchise was ever called the Redskins?
I knew he went into hospice last week. Sad. He did well with the Chiefs for a while.
Interesting to see the all time wins for coaches. George Halas is up there as he owned the Bears, and couldn’t be fired.
I believe in baseball that Connie Mack is the all time leader for managers victories, and it’s because he owned the Philadelphia Athletics and couldn’t be fired.
He who controls the past controls the present.
He who controls the present controls the future.
He was coach of the Brownies for Elway’s The Drive.
Man I still remember watching that game the stadium was shaking!
being a former redskins and nfl fan i now call them the washington whatchamacallits...
RIP. Great coach. Great memories.
A fellow Bronco fan, I see. Yep, if “The Drive” didn’t prove that Schottenheimer and the Browns were living under a curse against the Broncos, that play certainly did. All he had to do was cross the goal line and it was over, but then the curse struck.
I loved it, of course, but even at the time I felt a tiny pang of sympathy for old Marty.




This former San Diego Charger fan never forget the play off game against the Patriots. Chargers have a narrow lead late in the fourth quarter. It is fourth down. Brady drops back to pass. Charger cornerback Marlon McCrey intercepts the pass and instead of batting the ball to the ground which would allow the Chargers to take over on downs, he tries to run with the ball and FUMBLES. Patriots recover the ball. Brady moves the patriots down the field and win the game and they win the Super Bowl.
Meanwhile, Schottenheimer gets fired again.
RIP - great, great NFL coach.
I remember him from his last year with the Browns. RIP Coach
He was a good man. Never really won anything, but just a decent old time coach. RIP, sir. Many blessings.
yep.. all he had to do was bat the ball down and the chargers win
Not I!
I think the oldest living former head coaches are Marv Levy, who is 95 and Bud Grant, who is 93.
Yep, I’m with you.
Will they censor shows where they show highlights from past seasons, where we will clearly be able to see the Indian head on the helmet, or hear announcers say “The Redskins”???
How about their fight song, “Hail to the Redskins”? I think that has to go also.
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