Arizona Cardinals: Don Coryell long overdue for Hall of Fame
By Larry Brake
Don Coryell is deserving of enshrinement into the Pro Football Hall of Fame as one of the bastions of the Arizona Cardinals rise.
Don Coryell is one of 15 finalist for enshrinement into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Coryell is considered one of the greatest offensive minds of the NFL. His coaching stint in St. Louis helped kick start the Arizona Cardinals rise. His Hall of Fame enshrinement is long overdue.
Coryell spent five seasons as the Cardinals head coach from 1973-78. His first season was his only losing campaign in St. Louis. He had a winning team record of 42-27-1 overall during his tenure with the organization.
Prior to Coryell’s arrival, the 1948 Chicago Cardinals was the last team to win ten or more games in a season. They went 11-1 after winning the NFL Championship in 1947. Coryell was able to win ten or more games three straight years, 1974-1976.
Coryell’s Cardinals played an exciting come-from-behind brand of football. His team’s were affectionately known as the Cardiac Kids, led by quarterback Jim Hart. Coryell put his stamp on Cardinals football lore.
Like later in San Diego, Coryell employed the vertical passing game and mixed it with a power running attack. Mel Gray, Ike Harris, and Jackie Smith led the receiving corps. Jim Otis and Terry Metcalf were the cogs behind the running game.
Remember, Washington and Dallas won multiple Super Bowls with Coryell’s offense. Joe Gibbs utilized the running game with John Riggins in Washington. Jay Novacek, Michael Irvin and Emmitt Smith led the Dallas Super Bowl run.
Most of all, Coryell successfully made the leap from San Diego State University to the NFL. Very few coaches have been able to leave their mark on the game of pro football. Those few coaches are in the HOF.
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Paul Brown is the mind behind team organization and scouting. Bill Walsh’s West coast offense dueled Coryell’s principals as the ideal offense to run. Both Brown and Walsh are enshrined in Canton. Coryell is long overdue in becoming a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.