Rick Forzano

Rick Forzano
Name	Rick Forzano
Birth date	January 31, 1928
Birth place	Akron, Ohio, U.S.
Death date	April 10, 2019
Death place	Bonita Springs, Florida, U.S.
Occupation	American football coach
Years active	1950s–1980s

Rick Forzano

Richard Allen Forzano (January 31, 1928 – April 10, 2019) was an American football coach known for his work at the high school, collegiate, and professional levels, including head coaching in the National Football League. His career connected him to programs and personalities across Ohio, Michigan, the United States Football League, and the National Football League, influencing players and coaches who later populated major programs and franchises.

Early life and education

Forzano was born in Akron, Ohio and attended local schools before serving in the United States Navy during the post-World War II era, overlapping the administrations of Presidents Harry S. Truman and Dwight D. Eisenhower. He played high school football in Akron, a city shaped by companies like Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company and figures such as E. J. "Dutch" Leonard in sports culture. Forzano pursued higher education at Kent State University and later at institutions in Ohio and Michigan that fed coaching talent into programs led by names such as Woody Hayes and Bo Schembechler.

Coaching career

Forzano began his coaching trajectory in Ohio high schools, joining a coaching tradition that included contemporaries like Ara Parseghian and Eddie Anderson. He transitioned to collegiate assistant roles, working in programs associated with universities like University of Akron, University of Cincinnati, Bowling Green State University, and University of Toledo. His assistant coaching tenure placed him among coaching staffs influenced by strategies from figures such as Paul Brown and Don Shula, and connected to conferences like the Mid-American Conference and institutions like Michigan State University.

Forzano's college head and coordinator experiences included stops where he coached athletes who later joined professional teams such as the Miami Dolphins, New York Giants, and Cleveland Browns. He was part of coaching trees that traced to coaches including George Wilson (American football coach), Ara Parseghian, and Bo Schembechler. His methods were discussed alongside schemes popularized by innovators like Bill Walsh, Chuck Noll, and Bill Parcells during the evolution of modern offensive and defensive systems in the 1960s and 1970s.

National Football League

Forzano entered the NFL as an assistant and coordinator during a period when franchises like the Detroit Lions, New York Jets, San Francisco 49ers, and Pittsburgh Steelers were developing future Hall of Famers. He served as head coach of the Detroit Lions from 1974 to 1976, succeeding and preceding coaches such as Bobby Ross (American football coach), Ben Schwartzwalder, and interacting with executives like William Clay Ford Sr. and scouting figures tied to the NFL Draft processes that produced players for teams like the Dallas Cowboys and Green Bay Packers.

During his NFL tenure Forzano coached or overlapped with players and assistants connected to individuals such as Barry Sanders, Lem Barney, Mike Webster, Joe Schmidt, and assistants who later worked under Don Coryell, John Madden, and Tom Landry. His head coaching record in the NFL reflected challenges amid league developments including the AFL–NFL merger era, expanding media coverage from outlets like ESPN and networks such as NBC Sports and CBS Sports broadcasting games including Monday Night Football.

Forzano later served as an assistant and consultant for NFL franchises and professional leagues, collaborating with personnel directors, position coaches, and coordinators connected to franchises like the New Orleans Saints, Seattle Seahawks, and organizations influenced by agents such as Don Yee and personnel executives like Bill Polian.

Personal life and later years

Forzano married and raised a family while maintaining residences in Michigan and Florida. In retirement he was active in communities in Bonita Springs, Florida and engaged with alumni groups from institutions such as Kent State University and programs tied to the Detroit Lions alumni association. His later years overlapped with the careers and retirements of contemporaries including Tom Landry, Don Shula, Chuck Noll, and George Allen (American football coach).

He passed away in 2019 in Florida, with obituaries noting his roles across high school, collegiate, and professional football circles that intersected with many notable names in American football history, including coaches, executives, and players from franchises such as the New York Giants, Chicago Bears, and Los Angeles Rams.

Legacy and honors

Forzano's legacy is reflected in coaching trees and mentorship links to assistants and players who later became prominent in college and professional ranks, connecting to figures like Bo Schembechler, Don Shula, Bill Parcells, Tony Dungy, and Nick Saban. He has been acknowledged in alumni and team histories of the Detroit Lions, Kent State University, and Mid-American Conference programs. His career is cited in retrospectives about NFL coaching histories alongside seasons and events like the 1974 NFL season, the evolution of scouting in the NFL Draft, and organizational histories of franchises such as the Detroit Lions and Miami Dolphins.

Category:1928 births Category:2019 deaths Category:Detroit Lions head coaches Category:College football coaches Category:People from Akron, Ohio