Superbowls Grow on Trees

Last 20 Seasons of Superbowl Champions.

1994 Seifert - Bill Walsh Tree (DC 83-88)

1995 Jimmy Johnson - His own tree

1996 Holmgren - Bill Walsh Tree (OC 89/QB Coach 86-88)

1997 Shanahan - Bill Walsh Tree (OC under Seifert 92-94)

1998 Shanahan - Bill Walsh Tree (OC under Seifert 92-94)

1999 Dick Vermeil - His own tree (Made Superbowl in 1980 w/ Eagles vs Raiders)

2000 Brian Billick - Bill Walsh Tree (OC under Dennis Green 94-98)

2001 Bill Belichick* - Parcells Tree (DC under Parcells 85-90)

2002 Jon Gruden - Bill Walsh Tree (OC 95-97 under Ray Rhodes... also under Holmgren/Paul Hackett)

2003 Bill Belichick* - Parcells Tree (DC under Parcells 85-90)

2004 Bill Belichick* - Parcells Tree (DC under Parcells 85-90)

2005 Bill Cowher (DC under Schottenheimer 89-91 .... Beat Holmgren - Bill Walsh Tree)

2006 Tony Dungy - Bill Walsh Tree (DC 92-95 under Dennis Green...also under Chuck Knoll/Schottenheimer/Cowher)

2007 Mike Tomlin - Bill Walsh Tree (DC 96 under Brad Childress/DB coach under Dungy)

2008 Tom Coughlin - Parcells Tree (WR Coach Parcells 88-90)

2009 Sean Payton - Parcells Tree (OC under Fassel 00-02/ Assistant HC Parcells 03-05 Dallas Cowboys)

2010 Mike McCarthy - Bill Walsh Tree (QB/WR 89-92, 93-97 under Paul Hackett at Univ. of Pittsburg & KC)

2011 Tom Coughlin - Parcells Tree (WR Coach Parcells 88-90)

2012 John Harbaugh - Bill Walsh Tree (STC 1999-2006, 2007 DB Coach under Andy Reid, also STC 1998 under Ray Rhodes)

2013 Pete Carroll - Bill Walsh Tree (DC 95-96 under George Seifert..also under Wyche & Coslet)

Note*: Belichick used Walsh's: The Winning Edge as the Bible after the nuclear winter of his failed stint in Cleveland.

11 of the past 20 Superbowls were won by a coach with strong influence from the Walsh tree.
6 of the past 20 Superbowls were won by a coach with strong influence from the Parcells tree.

Bill Walsh Tree
Sam Wyche QB Coach 79-82
Paul Hackett QB Coach 83-85
Mike Holmgren QB Coach 86-88
Sherman Lewis RB Coach 83-88
George Seifert DB Coach 81,82/ DC 83-88
Ray Rhodes Assistant DB Coach 81,82 / DB Coach 83-88
Dennis Green 79 STC/WR, WR Coach 85-88
Bobb McKittrick OL
Bill McPherson DL/Linebacker

Seifert Branch
Mike Holmgren OC 89-91
Mike Shanahan OC 92-94
Marc Trestman OC 95-96
Bill McPherson DC 89-93
Ray Rhodes DC 94
Pete Carroll DC 95-96
Gary Kubiak QB 94
Ray Sherman RB 91, WR 92-93
Sherman Lewis WR 89-91
Ray Rhodes DB 89-91
Jeff Fisher DB 92-93
Jon Gruden Offensive Assistant 90

Holmgren is one of the highest up on the Bill Walsh tree because he was the QB coach during the last Walsh championship year in 1988 and the OC during the following 1989 championship season under Seifert. Bill Walsh did not have OCs so the highest ranking offensive coach during his era was the QB coach. Holmgren is the direct disciple of the Genius.

Almost all of these coaches have strong relationships with those above them on the tree meaning they were OCs/DCs ... Mike McCarthy who was brought into coaching by Paul Hackett at the University of Pittsburg was not an OC under Hackett however.... McCarthy worked with Montana in KC as Quality Control in 1993/1994 and also as QB Coach with Steve Bono & Grbac from 95-97 when Paul Hackett was OC at KC from 93-97.

Also note I don't believe Jim Fassel should be listed under the Walsh tree. They are acquaintances but that's about it. Also note Jim Harbaugh's link is not that strong with Gruden's branch. Bill Callahan was the OC under Gruden and Harbaugh was mainly Quality Control guy for two years.. he was QB Coach, but not for Gannon. Callahan did the coaching for Gannon.

Bottomline: Superbowls Grow on Trees...

Good thing spoiled rich boy Jed just cut our tree down then. Sell the team to the community, time for Packers style ownership, not going to put up with 40 years of this brat's incompetence.

Originally posted by Prospector:
Good thing spoiled rich boy Jed just cut our tree down then. Sell the team to the community, time for Packers style ownership, not going to put up with 40 years of this brat's incompetence.

My take on this situation is different. I think Jed did the right thing forcing Harbaugh out and I hope he finds someone in a stronger branch from the Bill Walsh tree. I think Jim Harbaugh's branch was weak and needed some pruning. We should probably start back with a stronger branch like Holmgren or Shanahan to build on and try to build a few branches from there with some younger coordinators.

Coaching trees are only good for a couple generations. To say John Harbaugh or Mike Tomlin is from the Walsh tree because he was hired by a guy who was hired by a guy who was hired by a guy who worked under Walsh is really stretching it.

That being said, the Walsh/Seifert tree shaped the NFL. Their assistants made up the majority of the successful HC in the league for a long time.

Originally posted by Prospector:
Good thing spoiled rich boy Jed just cut our tree down then. Sell the team to the community, time for Packers style ownership, not going to put up with 40 years of this brat's incompetence.

If you are in agreement with the premise posted by the original poster, I don't think Jim Harbaugh is really representative of "the tree."


Once you get past the direct links to Bill Walsh or George Seifert, it is very hard to see the influence. The only coaches I see that represent that today (that are not already head coaches) are Marty Mornhinweg and Gary Kubiak.

Besides the WCO, I think of the coaches that are true proponents and they are not only teachers, but also innovators. This is the reason why I'm cool with the guys from Dennis Green's branch (Tony Dungy, Lovie Smith).

With that said, either we get someone with strong influences or just pick up someone who can be wildly creative and innovative, like Adam Gase or even Mark Helfrich (I am not advocating for his hire, but he would fall into the creative category). If the Philadelpia Eagles can have some success in 2015 with their system (three years in the NFL), make the playoffs and make a strong showing (at least one win), I'm sold.

This guy should sit with joe Steve and Eddie together in an office and talk about coaching search. Your not big of a man yet York and listen to the legends that got more super bowl wins than you.

You are overthinking this to a degree. If you come from a successful program you get the opportunity for a head coaching job. Thus you have a chance to win a Championship. If you never get the head coaching job you can't win the Championship right? Getting the opportunity allows you the opportunity to win. If you never get that you can't win. Coaches could come from another tree too if they get the chance they could win. You never know until they get the chance and even then you wuold need enough time to prove it. It doesn't always come right away.

I don't think Jed wants a branch, he is looking for the next tree.

Originally posted by Jd925:

Originally posted by Prospector:
Good thing spoiled rich boy Jed just cut our tree down then. Sell the team to the community, time for Packers style ownership, not going to put up with 40 years of this brat's incompetence.

My take on this situation is different. I think Jed did the right thing forcing Harbaugh out and I hope he finds someone in a stronger branch from the Bill Walsh tree. I think Jim Harbaugh's branch was weak and needed some pruning. We should probably start back with a stronger branch like Holmgren or Shanahan to build on and try to build a few branches from there with some younger coordinators.

Agree in Bold.

Originally posted by Rocket4989:
This guy should sit with joe Steve and Eddie together in an office and talk about coaching search. Your not big of a man yet York and listen to the legends that got more super bowl wins than you.

How do you really know that he hasn't?

Originally posted by Niners99:
Coaching trees are only good for a couple generations. To say John Harbaugh or Mike Tomlin is from the Walsh tree because he was hired by a guy who was hired by a guy who was hired by a guy who worked under Walsh is really stretching it.

That being said, the Walsh/Seifert tree shaped the NFL. Their assistants made up the majority of the successful HC in the league for a long time.

THIS!

Originally posted by blizzuntz:
I don't think Jed wants a branch, he is looking for the next tree.

Agreed and hats off to him for having the stones to go after it.

Originally posted by Jd925:
My take on this situation is different. I think Jed did the right thing forcing Harbaugh out and I hope he finds someone in a stronger branch from the Bill Walsh tree. I think Jim Harbaugh's branch was weak and needed some pruning. We should probably start back with a stronger branch like Holmgren or Shanahan to build on and try to build a few branches from there with some younger coordinators.

Holmgren or Shanahan? I think that's wishful thinking because they would want a lot of money and more important MORE personnel control which I doubt Baalke is willing to part with. Baalke wants to be in control and that's not going to cut it with Holmgren or Shanny.

I think in the end it will be an in house coach who gets promoted.

Rex Ryan? Not a good choice because they need someone to develop Kaep or else he will regress further.

Originally posted by Niners99:
Coaching trees are only good for a couple generations. To say John Harbaugh or Mike Tomlin is from the Walsh tree because he was hired by a guy who was hired by a guy who was hired by a guy who worked under Walsh is really stretching it.

That being said, the Walsh/Seifert tree shaped the NFL. Their assistants made up the majority of the successful HC in the league for a long time.

Walsh himself is from the Sid Gilman and Paul Brown trees....although Brown apparently did him no favors.

While I LOVED the WCO it's time has passed! It like every other offense gets figured out and it's been figured out! People keep clamoring for The Shanahans, Holmgrens and Grudens but their time and that offenses time has PASSED. The things that ALWAYS work in the NFL: a good oline, power running game and a creative pass / play action game and don't turn it over. That's it!