theDREAM TEAM of NFL COACHES: 1995 CLEVELAND BROWNS

theDREAM TEAM of NFL COACHES

Although the latest documentary in the NFL Films series, "Cleveland '95: A Football Life" tells the story of the emotional season before the Cleveland Browns and their beloved city, lost three years of football — the most fascinating and intriguing part-of-it-all — was the immense pool-of-talent Coach Belichick had accumulated, assembled & amassed on his team's coaching staff.

Art Modell & Bill Belichick | Circa 1995

Unbeknownst to many -especially at the time, the epic convergence of his hand-picked cohorts may very well go down as the greatest collection of coaches ever assembled.

Casual football fans may feel indifferent but knowledgeable fans know; the coaching lineage that sprouted from the '95 Browns — many of whom went on to achieve varying degrees of success is far from coincidental.

If the 1992 U.S. Men's Basketball team that won the Olympics in Barcelona is known as the "Dream Team" a.k.a. greatest basketball team ever assembled, then the 1995 Browns' mobilization of football coaches and their latch-key assistants should be labeled the "Dream Team" of the gridiron.

NFL Mastermind — Bill Belichick — head coach of the Cleveland Browns from '92 - '95 and inexplicably; did not serve as a head coach again until 2000, first w/ the New York Jets and then w/ the New England Patriots.

Although his tenure w/ Art Modell's franchise was not successful in the record books, the Patriots' Dynasty were built from the failures of Bill Belichick's Browns and successes w/ Bill Parcell's  The gripping, hour-long documentary details the "up n' coming" crop of young coaches and front office executives — many of which were an integral part of reshaping the football world as we know and love.

Head coach (Bill Parcells) and defensive coordinator (Bill Belichick) during the Giants 20-19 upset victory over the Buffalo Bills in Super Bowl XXV — perhaps the best-coached game in NFL history

Belichick instantly became a highly sought-after coach following the New York Giants victory in Super Bowl XXV — his defensive game plan during the New York Giants' 20–19 upset of the high-powered/high-scoring Buffalo Bills (offensive juggernauts), became stuff of legend (see below).

Bill Belichick’s Super Bowl XXV defensive game plan was so revered; his notes, schemes & tactics are currently on display at Pro Football's Hall of Fame museum

"Belichick earned his first head coaching job with the Cleveland Browns in 1991. Following his firing in 1995, he did not serve as a head coach again until 2000, first with the Jets and with the Patriots.  

Since then, Belichick has coached the Patriots to five Super Bowl appearances: victories in Super Bowls XXXVI, XXXVIII, and XXXIX, and subsequent losses in Super Bowl XLII and Super Bowl XLVI. He was named the AP NFL Coach of the Year for the 2003, 2007 and 2010 seasons. 

Belichick is the NFL's longest tenured active head coach and currently is sixth in all-time coaching wins in the NFL" — Wikipedia

"Uncle Bill Wants You!"

"theDREAM TEAM Of NFL COACHES" that Belichick assembled in Cleveland eventually became the Coaching Staff of Legend — football’s next generation of elite coaches, high-priced GMs, sought-after coordinators,and top-notch leaders who continue to impact the NFL today.

Coach Belichick's giant sequoia of a coaching tree comprised of young assistants who gained NFL prominence; becoming successful in their own right — nine future NFL head coaches, several general managers and three major college head coaches — all of whom took what they acquired/learned during their five years under his stringent tutelage and applied it through-out their own decorated football careers.

1995 Cleveland Browns — Origins of Bill Belichick & his legendary football coaching tree

His critically-acclaimed and widely-respected coaching staff included Ozzie Newsome (Baltimore Ravens Executive) & Michael Lombardi (longtime NFL Executive) along w/ the following NFL General Managers: Thomas Dimitroff (Atlanta Falcons GM), Scott Pioli (Kansas City Chiefs GM) & Mike Tannenbaum (New York Jets GM).

Bill Belichick the NFL Mastermind

Also branching-out from his abundantly fruitful coaching tree — Jim Schwartz (Detroit Lions' head coach) and Eric Mangini (former-New York Jets/Cleveland Browns coach and NFL analyst); who were considered the younglings a.k.a. “slappies” — guys with “desks out in the hall.”

Belichick: Lieutenant Turned General — ESPN

But the impressive list doesn't stop there, the exclusive names continues w/ 3x National College Football Champion head coach — Nick Saban (Alabama) and Kirk Ferentz (Iowa) — two of college football’s top-tier sideline generals.

Once known as Little Bill (a complimentary piece and disciple of Bill Parcells), Belichick evolved from his days as a defensive coordinator — transforming himself into perhaps the Greatest NFL Coaching Genius in Football History!

Bill Belichick literally "hand-picked" his coaching staff in Cleveland; recruiting his "youngblood" assistants, implementing football philosophies, instilling meticulous tactics, unwavering work ethics and laid down the blueprint to what many die-hard & knowledgeable sports fans consider — the greatest collection of football minds ever assembled — theDREAM TEAM Of NFL COACHES & EXECS! — KONG | theKONGBLOG