PRESEASON EditiON - Detroit Lions
PRESEASON EditiON - Detroit Lions
PRESEASON EditiON - Detroit Lions
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exeCutives & CoaChing<br />
<strong>Detroit</strong>lions.com<br />
Media.<strong>Detroit</strong>lions.com<br />
helping him earn his final Pro Bowl invitation. He also coached DE Neil<br />
Smith (second in Chiefs history with 86.5 sacks) and DE Jared Allen,<br />
who earned his first spot in the Pro Bowl after the 2007 season when<br />
he led the league in sacks with 15.5. Another defensive linemen who<br />
excelled under Cunningham was DT Dan Saleaumua. He was named<br />
to the Pro Bowl in 1995 after anchoring the team’s defensive front.<br />
In the secondary, CB Dale Carter and CB James Hasty were<br />
the most formidable cornerback tandem in Chiefs history, as they<br />
combined for six Pro Bowl berths, and each intercepted 21 passes.<br />
Prior to his arrival in Kansas City, Cunningham spent four seasons<br />
(1991-94) with the Los Angeles Raiders, as linebackers coach (1991),<br />
defensive coordinator (1992-93) and defensive line coach (1994).<br />
As the Raiders defensive coordinator, his defense ranked ninth in<br />
the NFL both seasons, and they allowed a NFL-low 11 touchdown<br />
passes in 1992.<br />
Cunningham was the San Diego Chargers defensive line coach for<br />
six seasons (1985-90) after originally being hired by the team’s player<br />
personnel department. During those six seasons, the Chargers led the<br />
AFC in sacks three times and garnered a club record 62.0 in 1986. As<br />
the defensive line coach, he developed DE Lee Williams and DE Leslie<br />
O’Neil into Pro Bowl players.<br />
In 1982, Cunningham entered the NFL coaching ranks when he<br />
joined the Baltimore Colts coaching staff, learning from the late Bud<br />
Carson. He was the team’s defensive line/linebackers from 1982-84.<br />
His previous pro coaching experience was with the defensive line/<br />
linebackers coach for the CFL’s Hamilton Tiger-Cats in 1981 with head<br />
coach Frank Kush who also hired Cunningham in Baltimore.<br />
As a college coach, Cunningham’s last stop was at California.<br />
Cunningham coached the Bears defensive line from 1979-80, the<br />
linebackes in 1978 and secondary in 1977.<br />
Prior his stop in Berkeley, Cunningham coached at the Stanford<br />
Cardinal from 1973-76. He was hired by Head Coach Jack Christensen,<br />
a Hall of Fame defensive back for the <strong>Detroit</strong> <strong>Lions</strong> in the 1950s and a<br />
member of the <strong>Lions</strong> 75th Season All-time Team. While at Stanford,<br />
he coached the defensive line from 1974-76 and was the assistant<br />
offensive line and freshmen coach during his first year in 1973.<br />
Cunningham worked at the University of Arkansas in 1972<br />
on a staff headed by Frank Broyles that included Joe Gibbs and<br />
Raymond Berry.<br />
In 1969, Cunningham began his coaching career at the University of<br />
Oregon, his alma mater. He was with the Ducks program for three years<br />
from 1969-71 where he began his longtime relationship with another<br />
noted defensive coach, George Seifert. Cunningham was a graduate of<br />
Oregon and was a linebacker and kicker for the Ducks from 1966-68.<br />
Cunningham played his prep football at Lompoc High School in<br />
Lompoc, California. He was then recruited to play at Allan Hancock<br />
College by Hall of Fame coach John Madden. Madden left the school<br />
prior to Cunningham’s freshman year and was replaced as head coach<br />
by Ernie Zampese.<br />
Cunningham, who became a naturalized U.S. citizen on April 6,<br />
2010, is just one of four foreign-born individuals in league history to<br />
ever serve as an NFL head coach, joining Hugo Bezdek (Cleveland<br />
Rams, 1937-38), Jock Sutherland (Pittsburgh, 1946-47) and Al<br />
Saunders (San Diego, 1986-88). Born in Munich, Germany, he moved to<br />
Greenfield, Mass., at the age of 10 in 1956 with his mother Katharina<br />
and his adoptive father, Air Force Sergeant Garner Cunningham.<br />
Cunningham and his wife, René, have two children, Natalie and<br />
Adam.<br />
cunninghaM' s Background<br />
<strong>Detroit</strong> <strong>Lions</strong> .......................................................................... 2009-<br />
Assistant Head Coach/Defensive Coordinator .....................................2009-<br />
Kansas City Chiefs ...............................................................2004-08<br />
Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers ..........................................................2008<br />
Defensive Coordinator ........................................................................... 2004-07<br />
Tennessee Titans ................................................................ 2001-03<br />
Assistant Head Coach/Linebackers ................................................... 2001-03<br />
Kansas City Chiefs ...........................................................1995-2000<br />
Head Coach ..........................................................................................1999-2000<br />
Defensive Coordinator ..................................................................................1998<br />
Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers ..........................................................1997<br />
Defensive Coordinator ........................................................................... 1995-96<br />
Los Angeles Raiders ........................................................... 1991-94<br />
Defensive Line ................................................................................................1994<br />
Defensive Coordinator ........................................................................... 1992-93<br />
Linebackers ....................................................................................................1991<br />
San Diego Chargers .............................................................1985-90<br />
Defensive Line ......................................................................................... 1985-90<br />
Baltimore/Indianapolis Colts ................................................1982-84<br />
Defensive Line/Linebackers ................................................................. 1982-84<br />
Hamilton Tiger-Cats (CFL) ........................................................1981<br />
Defensive Line/Linebackers ........................................................................1981<br />
California ............................................................................1977-80<br />
Defensive Coordinator/Defensive Line .............................................. 1979-80<br />
Linebackers ....................................................................................................1978<br />
Defensive Backs ............................................................................................1977<br />
Stanford............................................................................. 1973-76<br />
Defensive Line ......................................................................................... 1974-76<br />
Assistant Offensive Line/Freshmen ..........................................................1973<br />
Arkansas..................................................................................1972<br />
Defensive Line ................................................................................................1972<br />
Oregon ............................................................................... 1969-71<br />
Defensive Line ......................................................................................... 1969-71
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