- Leeman Bennett
Leeman Bennett (born
June 20 ,1938 ) is a former football coach who served at both the collegiate and professional levels, but is most prominently remembered as head coach of the National Football League'sAtlanta Falcons andTampa Bay Buccaneers .A native of
Paducah, Kentucky , Bennett graduated from theUniversity of Kentucky , playing at both quarterback and defensive back under head coachBlanton Collier for three seasons beginning in1958 . During Collier's final season with the Wildcats in1961 , Bennett began his coaching career by serving as an assistant coach with the team.Bennett continued the following year under new head coach Charlie Bradshaw, then served in the military the next two years. In his first full year as a coach, Bennett was on the staff for Bradshaw's infamous first team that was known as the
Thin Thirty . He resumed his career atKentucky in1965 , then moved on to theUniversity of Pittsburgh the following year. After only one year in the Steel City, Bennett accepted the offensive backs coaching position underHomer Rice at theUniversity of Cincinnati in1967 , then was promoted to offensive coordinator the following year.On
February 7 ,1969 , Bennett assumed similar duties at theU.S. Naval Academy underRick Forzano , but left onMarch 13 ,1970 to become offensive backs coach with the NFL's St. Louis Cardinals (football). Bennett survived a coaching change after his first season, but left after the1971 NFL season to become an assistant with theDetroit Lions .After Chuck Knox was hired as head coach of the Los Angeles Rams in January
1973 , he hired Bennett as the team's receivers coach. Over the next four years, the team's high-powered offense helped the team reach threeNFC Championship game s, but fell short of aSuper Bowl berth. Despite coming up short, Bennett became a head coach for the first time when he was hired by the Falcons onFebruary 3 ,1977 .During his first season in Georgia, Bennett's defense became known as the "Grits Blitz" for its ferocious style and allowing just 129 points, a record for a 14-game season. The overall improvement of the team became evident the following year, when the Falcons defeated the
Philadelphia Eagles in theNFC Wild Card game , then put up a strong fight against the defendingSuper Bowl championDallas Cowboys .After the team endured a losing season in
1979 , Bennett led the team to its firstNFC West title and a then-team record 12 wins. However, a fourth quarter collapse against the Cowboys in the first round of the playoffs abruptly ended the season.While another losing record followed in
1981 , the team won its final three games, giving hopes of another comeback. However, the strike-shortened1982 NFL season saw Bennett's team finish 5-4, reaching the postseason in the expanded playoff system, but losing the first round game to theMinnesota Vikings . A late season slump, coupled with the playoff losses and overall inconsistency, resulted in Bennett being dismissed onJanuary 14 ,1983 . He was the first coach in team history to leave the team with a winning record, going 47-44 (including a 1-3 record in the playoffs). Jim Mora also left the team with a winning record, 26-22.For the next two years, Bennett sold
recreational vehicles before theTampa Bay Buccaneers hired him onJanuary 23 ,1985 , to replace the retiring John McKay. However, Bennett's previous success did not come with him to Tampa, with consecutive 2-14 finishes in both of his years as coach of the Bucs. OnDecember 29 ,1986 , he was dismissed by team ownerHugh Culverhouse .Bennett then returned to
Atlanta , where he purchased a car dealership and was named chairman of the selection committee for the Peach Bowl. In1991 , Bennett sold the dealership and was hired as director of development for the Greater Atlanta Christian School, where his two sons had attended. Eight years later, he co-founded the First National Bank of John's Creek inAlpharetta, Georgia , and later served as its director. Bennett also contributed to Falcons radio shows.While still handling his bowl game duties, Bennett is mostly retired, spending much of his free time golfing and hunting.
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