Canonsburg Native Marty Schottenheimer, NFL Coach With 200 Wins, Dies At 77
(AP/KDKA) -- Marty Schottenheimer, who won 200 regular-season games with four NFL teams thanks to his "Martyball" brand of smash-mouth football but regularly fell short in the playoffs, has died. He was 77.
Family friend Bob Moore says Schottenheimer died late Monday night at a hospice in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Schottenheimer is a Canonsburg native who attended Fort Cherry High School, where he was an all-state football player.
He also attended the University of Pittsburgh in 1961, where he earned three varsity letters.
During his junior year in 1963, he helped lead Pitt to a 9-1 record.
Schottenheimer graduated from Pitt in 1966.
The Pitt athletics department has released these statements from Heather Lyke and Pat Narduzzi:
Head football coach Pat Narduzzi: "Coach Schottenheimer made it fun to be a Browns fan again in the 1980s. He really revitalized that team and made them an annual Super Bowl contender. He was a tremendous coach, but an even better leader. I think that's why he raised the level of every organization he ever joined. We are proud to call him a Pitt Man and our entire program extends its deepest sympathies to the Schottenheimer family."
Athletics director Heather Lyke: "On behalf of the University of Pittsburgh, we send our heartfelt condolences to Coach Schottenheimer's wife, Pat, his children, Brian and Kristen, and many loved ones. As a Canton native, I saw firsthand the excitement he brought to Cleveland. With more than 200 victories coaching in the NFL, it is evident that he brought excellence to each of his coaching stops. Pitt takes great pride in his wonderful legacy as coach, leader and man."
While coaching in the NFL, he went 200-126-1 in 21 seasons with the Cleveland Browns, Kansas City Chiefs, Washington Redskins and San Diego Chargers.
His success was rooted in "Martyball," a conservative approach that featured a strong running game and tough defense.
As a head coach, Schottenheimer's coaching tree includes several Pittsburgh ties, including:
- Bill Cowher
- Tony Dungy
- Mke McCarthy
- Bruce Arians
He was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease in 2014. He was moved to a hospice on Jan. 30.
Schottenheimer was the eighth-winningest coach in NFL history.
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