George Seifert – My Case for his Hall of Fame Induction
In professional sports, there comes a time in a Team’s evolution, that the coach who has led them to glory, for whatever reason decides to step away. The coach who then takes on the mantle of continuing the legacy of winning is faced with unenviable task of following in their footsteps and in nearly all these cases, that coach fails.
Here are two notable examples of this in modern professional sports. Firstly, in the NBA, Phil Jackson of the Chicago Bulls led the Chicago Bulls to six championships, and secondly, the most successful English Premier League manager, Sir Alex Ferguson, who lead Manchester United to 13 Premier League titles and many more honours.
These two prime examples, the coach who took over these winning legacies both failed and in both cases neither team has gone onto to win a championship in their respective sports since the winning coaches have departed.
Taking the Thrown
Bill Walsh surprised the NFL world, when after winning the Superbowl in 1989 against the Cincinnati Bengals decided to retire, a decision that Walsh himself admitted was premature.
Notwithstanding, the coach who had spearheaded the 49ers to greatness and created the West Coast Offense, pioneered diversity for coaches, and promoted a winning culture in the 49ers had suddenly left.
The team decided that George Seifert would replace Bill Walsh, Seifert had been the team’s defensive Co-ordinator since 1983. For me this is the start of Seifert’s greatness, as the defensive co-ordinator for the 49ers, the 49ers finished in the top 10 in fewest points allowed in each of his six seasons. His defences created turnovers, were hostile and allowed Walsh to develop the West Coast Offense.
I would say, Seifert was more than instrumental in the three Superbowl’s that Walsh won, but never got then or now the credit he deserves for the 49ers defence during the period of 1983 to 1989.
Seifert had inherited a team, that had a winning culture, future Hall of Famers, a fan base that expected to win and an owner that demanded winning. Some would say, he did not need to do much, but as history has shown, in most cases, coaches who inherit such legacies are doomed to fail.
Record – Continuing the Winning Culture
The NFL is a one of the most statistically based sports globally, so let’s start and evaluate Seifert’s record as the coach of the 49ers.
During his tenure, the team won the NFC West Title 6 times, 2 NFC Championships and 2 Superbowl’s. He took the team to 7 NFC championship games during his reign as Head coach.
His winning percentage as a Head Coach was .766 and his post season record was .667.
In the modern era of NFL coaches, Seifert’s record as the 49ers Head Coach is remarkable and outstanding, and he would be a Hall of Fame entrant near enough automatically based on his record.
Seifert, regardless of the team’s roster, continued the winning culture, the team became some would say even more offensively explosive under his tenure.
Montana to Young
One of the driving forces in my view to the success of the 49ers during the 80’s and 90’s was the creation of the uneasy tension in the Quarterback Room, because the team had two Hall of Fame Quarterbacks in Joe Montana and Steve Young.
In 1989, Bill Walsh struggled in his decision in the early part of the season to elect who was the starting Quarterback, but he went on with Montana and the rest is history.
But Walsh had left his heir apparent with thankless task of managing both Young and Montana and managing the transition away from Montana to Young. That task was left to George Seifert, who received unnecessary and uncalled criticism on how he managed Montana’s exit out of the 49ers.
Seifert took all the criticism thrown at him, he handled the bay media, with calm, dignity and the 49ers went onto to win a Superbowl with Young at the helm. Not many coaches would have endured the level of criticism from the fans and the media, keep the team focused and even go onto winning another Superbowl.
Conclusion
As a fan in the UK, my love affair with the 49ers started with that Superbowl win in 1989, 3 minutes 38, it was nearing 3.00am in the UK, I had school in the morning, but I stayed up and watched Montana’s throw to John Taylor.
I was hooked and that was it, so I inherited the team that Seifert took over and I enjoyed the rollercoaster of those NFC Championship games against Dallas and Green Bay, yes we lost more than we won, but we still under Seifert, the team won 2 Superbowl’s and had winning seasons.
Seifert’s record as a defensive co-ordinator and Head Coach, alone makes him a natural entrant into the Hall of Fame. Seifert's management of the team, continuing the winning culture after Walsh’s exit, again makes him a Hall of Famer. Finally, Seifert’s ability to navigate the transition from Montana to Young and continuing winning, again, makes him a shoe in for the Hall of Fame.
I am forever grateful for what Seifert did during his time at the 49ers, the NFL wider media and even some of the Faithful I feel do not give him the credit he deserves and in my humble opinion, he should be walking into Canton.
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