From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Anthony J. "Tony" Sparano III (born October 7, 1961(1961-10-07), in West Haven, Connecticut) is the current head coach for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League. Sparano is the only NFL head coach to lead a one-win team to the playoffs the following year, which he accomplished in his first season with the Dolphins.^[1]

Playing career

College

Sparano was a four-year letterman for Division II University of New Haven, starting at center for the New Haven Chargers and graduating in 1986.^[2]

Coaching career

NCAA

Assistant coach

Sparano began his coaching career at his alma mater, serving as New Haven's offensive line coach for four seasons before joining the staff at Division I-AA Boston University. After one year as the team's offensive line coach, Sparano served five seasons as the Terriers' offensive coordinator.

Head coach

Sparano was named New Haven's head coach in 1994, and led the Chargers to two playoff appearances in five seasons. In 1997, New Haven led Division II in offense (42.8 points per game) and finished second in defense (11.6 points allowed per game) en route to a 12–2 record, losing to Northern Colorado in the championship game.^[3]

National Football League

Assistant coach

Beginning his NFL career in 1999, Sparano was fired in three staffing purges after brief stints with the Cleveland Browns, Washington Redskins and Jacksonville Jaguars.^[4] Sparano was hired by new Dallas Cowboys coach Bill Parcells in 2003,^[5] rising from tight ends coach to assistant head coach in his five seasons in Dallas. Sparano was the offensive play-caller for Dallas in 2006, but ceded the responsibilities to new offensive coordinator Jason Garrett the following season.^[6]

Head coach

Miami Dolphins

After firing Cam Cameron following a franchise-worst 1–15 season, the Miami Dolphins and new executive vice president of football operations Parcells hired Sparano to a four-year contract on January 16, 2008.^[7]

In his first season, Sparano led the Dolphins to an 11–5 record and the AFC East division title, securing the franchise's first playoff berth in eight seasons before losing to the Baltimore Ravens in a wild-card game. The 10-win turnaround tied an NFL record^[8] and Sparano finished one vote behind Atlanta Falcons first-year head coach Mike Smith in balloting for the AP Coach of the Year award.^[9]

Head coaching record

In the media

Tony was featured in a segment of ESPN's SportsCenter where they made light of his name being so close to fictional TV mobster Tony Soprano. Sportscaster Kenny Mayne and Sparano himself reenacted the now infamous final scene of the HBO program The Sopranos. Cameos in the segment were made by Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo, tight end Jason Witten, Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban and even by members of the cast of The Sopranos.

Coaching tree

NFL head coaches under whom Tony Sparano has served:

• Chris Palmer, Cleveland Browns (1999–2000)
• Marty Schottenheimer, Washington Redskins (2001)
• Tom Coughlin, Jacksonville Jaguars (2002)
• Bill Parcells, Dallas Cowboys (2003–2006)
• Wade Phillips, Dallas Cowboys (2007)

Family

Sparano and his wife, Jeanette, have two sons: Tony and Andrew , both members of the University at Albany (N.Y.) football team^[11] and a daughter, Ryan Leigh^[12].

References

External links

• YouTube - Mayne Event: Tony Sparano
• Miami Dolphins bio