Jack Gotta

Infobox NFL PlayerCoach


name=Jack Gotta
|DateOfBirth=
Birthplace= Ironwood, Michigan
DateOfDeath=
Position=Tight end
Head coach
College=Oregon State
Record=
DraftedYear=
DraftedRound=
PFRCoach=
DatabaseFootballCoach=
PFR=
DatabaseFootball=
player=Y
years=1956-1959
1960-1964
1964
teams=Calgary Stampeders
Saskatchewan Roughriders
Montreal Alouettes
coach=Y
coachingyears=1974
1975
1976-1979, 1982-1983
1985-1986
coachingteams=Birmingham Americans (WFL)
Birmingham Vulcans (WFL)
Calgary Stampeders
Saskatchewan Roughriders
Awards=
CFLAllStar=
CFHOF=

Jack Gotta is a former professional football player, coach, and general manager.

Gotta played Tight End at Oregon State in 1952 and Hamilton Air Force Base from 1954-1956. He signed with the Cleveland Browns in 1956, but was cut and played with the Calgary Stampeders of the Canadian Football League from 1957-1959. In 1960 he signed with the Saskatchewan Roughriders. He sometimes played corner linebacker and safety due to injuries on defense. During the 1964 he was cut by Saskatchewan and signed by the Montreal Alouettes.

In 1965 he rejoined the Roughriders as an assistant coach. He resigned after the 1967 season and joined the Ottawa Rough Riders coaching staff. In 1970 he replaced the retiring Frank Clair as head coach. The team went from first to last place, however the team made the playoffs every year afterwards. He had a 30-26 record ih is fours seasons as Ottawa's head coach, winning the Grey Cup in 1973 and the Annis Stukus Trophy in 1972 and 1973.

In 1974 he jumped to the World Football League's Birmingham Americans as head coach and general manager. The Americans, led by George Mira, Charley Harraway, and Dennis Homan, finished with a 15-5 record and won the first and only WFL World Bowl at Birmingham's Legion Field, defeating the Florida Blazers 22-21.

In 1975 after the folding of the Americans, Gotta joined the Birmingham Vulcans, once again as General Manager and head coach. The team had a league best 9-3 record when the WFL folded. He returned to the CFL in 1976 as head coach/general manager of the Calgary Stampeders. He retired as coach after four seasons, but remained on as GM.

When Jerry Williams resigned as head coach after the 1981 CFL season, he returned to the sidelines. He remained in Calgary until 1983, when he was fired after missing the playoffs.

As the Stampeders coach, he finished with a 44-46-6 record and won Coach of the Year in 1978.

In 1984 he joined the CFL on CTV as a commentator. He left the network to become head coach of the Saskatchewan Roughriders in 1985. In 2 seasons with the Green Riders he had a 1-22-1 record [http://www.canada.com/saskatoonstarphoenix/news/sports/story.html?id=dad61647-9e91-4af4-9153-f6ad538144c6]