Chan Gailey

Thomas Chandler Gailey Jr. (born January 5, 1952) is an American football coach. In 2020, he was the offensive coordinator for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League (NFL). Gailey has previously served as the head coach of the Dallas Cowboys, Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, and Buffalo Bills.

Chan Gailey
Personal information
Born: (1952-01-05) January 5, 1952
Gainesville, Georgia
Career information
High school:Americus (GA)
College:Florida
Career history
As coach:
Career highlights and awards
Head coaching record
Regular season:NFL: 34–46 (.425)
Postseason:NFL: 0–2 (.000)
Career:NFL: 34–48 (.415)
NCAA: 68–41 (.624)
WLAF: 12–7 (.632)
Coaching stats at PFR

Gailey served as offensive coordinator for the Miami Dolphins in 2000 and 2001, when the Dolphins posted consecutive 11–5 records. He was on the Pittsburgh Steelers staff from 1994 to 1997 when the Steelers won four straight AFC Central titles and coached in one Super Bowl (XXX).[1] Gailey served as the offensive coordinator for the Kansas City Chiefs in 2008 and three games of the 2009 preseason. He was the offensive coordinator for the New York Jets from 2015 to 2016.

Early life and education

Gailey was born in Gainesville, Georgia, in 1952.[2] He attended Americus High School in Americus, Georgia, where he earned Eagle Scout honors,[3][4] and a letterman in high school football, basketball, baseball, and golf. In football, he was an all-state selection as quarterback. Gailey graduated from Americus High School in 1970.

Gailey attended the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida, where he was a three-year letterman for coach Doug Dickey's Florida Gators football team as a quarterback from 1971 to 1973.[5] Gailey graduated from Florida with a bachelor's degree in physical education in 1974.[2]

Coaching career

Troy, Air Force, and back to Troy

Gailey stayed with Florida as a graduate assistant for two years before taking his first actual coaching job as the secondary coach for the Troy Trojans of Troy University (then known as Troy State University) in Troy, Alabama. After two seasons there, he spent four seasons with the U.S. Air Force Academy, including two as defensive coordinator under head coach Ken Hatfield.[6]

In 1983, Gailey made his way back to Troy, taking over the head coaching duties at Troy University. In his first season as head coach, he led the Trojans to a 7-4 overall record. In his second season at the helm in 1984, he led his #3-ranked Trojans to a 12–1 record en route to the NCAA Division II national championship, defeating #1-ranked North Dakota State, 18-17 to win the title.[7]

Professional leagues (1984–1992, 1994–2001)

Gailey moved to the NFL the next year, when the Denver Broncos signed him as an offensive assistant and special teams coach. The team made three Super Bowl appearances during his six-year tenure. In 1991, Gailey left the NFL to become the head coach of the Birmingham Fire of the World League of American Football, where the team made the playoffs in both years that he was coach.

After a one-year stint as head coach at Samford University, he returned to the NFL with the Pittsburgh Steelers. After starting off as coach for the wide receivers, then moved up to offensive coordinator for the 1996 and 1997 NFL seasons. The Steelers won their division all four years, and made one Super Bowl appearance.

In 1998, Gailey was hired to take over a struggling Dallas Cowboys squad, one that had faltered under Barry Switzer during his last year. Gailey's Cowboys won the NFC East in 1998, and made the playoffs under his two years at the reins, although they failed to win a playoff game. Gailey is the only Cowboys coach to make the playoffs every season with his team.[8]

Gailey returned to the offensive coordinator role, this time with the Miami Dolphins for the 2000 and 2001 seasons.[9]

Georgia Tech (2002–2007)

Gailey was hired by the Yellow Jackets in 2002 to replace George O'Leary, who left to become head coach at the University of Notre Dame (O'Leary infamously resigned at Notre Dame after only 5 days).[10] In his first five years at Georgia Tech, he had compiled a 37–27 record. Georgia Tech went to bowl games each year under Gailey, and won two: the 2003 Humanitarian Bowl (a 52–10 win over the University of Tulsa), and the 2004 Champs Sports Bowl (a 51–14 victory over Syracuse University). Gailey compiled six winning seasons in six years at the helm. However, he never defeated Tech's biggest rival, the University of Georgia, never won the ACC, never went to a BCS bowl, never won more than nine games, and never finished in the top 25. The 2006 season was his most successful at Georgia Tech, winning the ACC Coastal Division, but losing his last three games to rival UGA, Wake Forest in the ACC Championship Game, and West Virginia in the Gator Bowl.[11]

Gailey's name was mentioned for both the Pittsburgh Steelers and Miami Dolphins head-coaching jobs following the 2006 season, two teams for which he was offensive coordinator.[12] Gailey got neither job. On January 19, 2007, Gailey announced he would return to Georgia Tech.[13]

After a 7–5 2007 regular season and losing to the Georgia Bulldogs football team for the sixth straight year, it was announced on November 26, 2007 that Gailey had been dismissed and his $1 million/year contract bought out.[14][15][16][17]

Kansas City Chiefs (2008)

Gailey was hired on January 16, 2008, to become the offensive coordinator of the Kansas City Chiefs. He inherited a Chiefs offense that ranked at the bottom of the league in almost every category the previous season.[18] Under his coaching, the Chiefs finished with the 24th-ranked offense in the league.[19] He was demoted after three pre-season games in 2009 and relieved of play-calling duties by head coach Todd Haley.[20] He spent the 2009 season out of football.

Buffalo Bills (2010–2012)

Gailey was introduced as the 15th head coach of the Buffalo Bills on January 19, 2010, replacing interim head coach Perry Fewell and becoming their fifth head coach in 10 years.[21] The Bills went 4–12 in his first season, with the 25th-ranked offense and 24th-ranked defense in the league.[22][23] The following year, Buffalo ranked 14th in offense and 26th in defense as the Bills improved slightly to finish with a 6-10 record.[24][25] In 2012, the Bills finished 19th in offense and 22nd in defense as they once again finished 6-10.[26][27]

On December 31, 2012, Gailey was relieved of his duties as the Bills' head coach. He amassed a career 16–32 record in Buffalo.[28]

New York Jets (2015–2016)

Gailey was named offensive coordinator by the New York Jets on January 20, 2015, under new head coach Todd Bowles.[29] He was reunited with former Bills quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick.

In his first season, the Jets finished with the 10th-ranked offense in the league. They finished 13th in the league in passing and 10th in rushing.[30][31] Through Week 14 of the 2016 season, the Jets had the 24th-ranked offense in the league.[32] Following the 2016 season in which the Jets ranked near the bottom of the league in offense and finished 5–11, Gailey retired on January 3, 2017.[33]

Miami Dolphins (2020)

On January 20, 2020, Gailey was hired by the Miami Dolphins as their offensive coordinator under head coach Brian Flores. Gailey was reunited with former Bills and Jets quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick, whom Gailey served as head coach of the Bills from 2010–12, and as offensive coordinator for the Jets from 2015-16. On January 6, 2021, Gailey resigned from the offensive coordinator position.

Head coaching record

College
Year Team Overall ConferenceStanding Bowl/playoffs
Troy State Trojans (Gulf South Conference) (1983–1984)
1983 Troy State 7–44–3T–2nd[34]
1984 Troy State 12–16–11stW NCAA Division II Championship
Troy State: 19–510–4
Samford Bulldogs (NCAA Division I-AA independent) (1993)
1993 Samford 5–6
Samford: 5–6
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (Atlantic Coast Conference) (2002–2007)
2002 Georgia Tech 7–64–4T–5thL Silicon Valley
2003 Georgia Tech 7–64–4T–4thW Humanitarian
2004 Georgia Tech 7–54–4T–6thW Champs Sports
2005 Georgia Tech 7–55–33rd (Coastal)L Emerald
2006 Georgia Tech 9–57–11st (Coastal)L Gator
2007 Georgia Tech 7–54–43rd (Coastal)Humanitarian
Georgia Tech: 44–3228–20
Total:68–43
      National championship         Conference title         Conference division title or championship game berth

National Football League
TeamYearRegular seasonPostseason
WonLostTiesWin %FinishWonLostWin %Result
DAL1998 1060.6251st in NFC East01.000Lost to Arizona Cardinals in NFC Wild Card Game
DAL1999 880.5002nd in NFC East01.000Lost to Minnesota Vikings in NFC Wild Card Game
DAL total18140.56302.000
BUF2010 4120.2504th in AFC East––––
BUF2011 6100.3754th in AFC East––––
BUF2012 6100.3754th in AFC East––––
BUF total16320.33300.000
Total34460.42502.000

World League of American Football

Record with Birmingham Fire

Season records
SeasonWLTFinishPlayoff results
19915501st North American WestLost Semifinals (Dragons)
19927212nd North American WestLost Semifinals (Thunder)
Totals1271 (excluding playoffs)

See also

References
  1. Associated Press. Former Cowboys head coach hopes to revive Chiefs' sputtering offense ESPN.com, January 16, 2008.
  2. Chan Gailey (November 18, 2006). "Chan Gailey Bio - Georgia Tech Official Athletic Site". Ramblinwreck.com. Archived from the original on February 8, 2012. Retrieved April 22, 2013.
  3. Townley, Alvin (2007). Legacy of Honor: The Values and Influence of America's Eagle Scouts. New York: St. Martin's Press. ISBN 0-312-36653-1. Archived from the original on May 29, 2008. Retrieved December 29, 2006.
  4. Hydrick, Robert (May 2006). "Gailey looking forward to spring practice". WALB News 10. Archived from the original on March 21, 2006. Retrieved November 8, 2006.
  5. 2011 Florida Gators Football Media Guide Archived April 2, 2012, at the Wayback Machine, University Athletic Association, Gainesville, Florida, pp. 174 & 181 (2011). Retrieved August 29, 2011.
  6. Van Brimmer, Adam (October 18, 2007). "Army life different, say Tech coaches". The Telegraph. macon.com. Retrieved October 23, 2007.
  8. Dallas Cowboys History
  9. "Winning Style". Tech Topics. Georgia Tech Alumni Association. Spring 2002. Archived from the original on November 30, 2007. Retrieved September 17, 2007.
  10. Clarke, Michael (November 18, 2005). "Gailey signs new five-year contract, will coach through 2010 campaign". The Technique. Archived from the original on September 29, 2007. Retrieved May 16, 2007.
  11. Associated Press (December 2, 2006). "Skinner, Swank lift Wake to ACC title; next stop: Orange Bowl". ESPN. go.com. Retrieved September 17, 2007.
  12. "Miami interviews Gailey". The Technique. January 19, 2007. Archived from the original on September 29, 2007. Retrieved March 22, 2007.
  13. "Gailey to Remain at Tech". Ramblinwreck.com. Georgia Tech Athletic Association. January 19, 2007. Archived from the original on November 30, 2007. Retrieved March 22, 2007.
  14. Knobler, Mike (November 26, 2007). "Georgia Tech fires Gailey after six seasons". Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Retrieved November 26, 2007.
  15. "Sources: Gailey fired at Tech after six seasons". ESPN. go.com. November 26, 2007. Retrieved November 26, 2007.
  16. Knobler, Mike (November 26, 2007). "Tech owes Gailey $4 million". Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Retrieved November 26, 2007.
  17. "Gailey Relieved of Duties As Georgia Tech Head Coach". RamblinWreck.com. Georgia Tech Athletic Association. November 26, 2007. Archived from the original on November 28, 2007. Retrieved November 26, 2007.
  18. Gregg Rosenthal. "Source: Chiefs chop Chan Gailey". NBCSports.com. Retrieved August 31, 2009.
  19. http://www.espn.com/nfl/statistics/team/_/stat/total/year/2008
  20. John Clayton (August 31, 2009). "Gailey no longer running Chiefs offense". ESPN.com. Retrieved August 31, 2009.
  21. "Bills hire Gailey as coach". Associated Press. Retrieved September 12, 2011.
  22. http://www.espn.com/nfl/statistics/team/_/stat/total/position/defense/year/2010
  23. http://www.espn.com/nfl/statistics/team/_/stat/total/year/2010
  24. http://www.espn.com/nfl/statistics/team/_/stat/total/year/2011
  25. http://www.espn.com/nfl/statistics/team/_/stat/total/position/defense/year/2011
  26. http://www.espn.com/nfl/statistics/team/_/stat/total/year/2012
  27. http://www.espn.com/nfl/statistics/team/_/stat/total/position/defense/year/2012
  28. "Chan Gailey fired by Buffalo Bills". Associated Press. Retrieved December 31, 2012.
  29. Jets Staff (January 20, 2015). "Jets Tab Chan Gailey as Offensive Coordinator". New York Jets. Archived from the original on January 23, 2015. Retrieved January 22, 2015.
  30. http://www.espn.com/nfl/statistics/team/_/stat/passing/year/2015
  31. http://www.espn.com/nfl/statistics/team/_/stat/rushing/year/2015
  32. http://www.espn.com/nfl/statistics/team/_/stat/total
  33. Orr, Conor (January 3, 2017). "Jets offensive coordinator Chan Gailey retires". NFL.com. Retrieved January 3, 2017.
  34. http://www.gscsports.org/documents/2014/8/11/2014_GSC_Football_Media_Record_Book.pdf
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