Tony Sparano

Not to be confused with Tony Soprano.

Tony Sparano

Sparano as head coach of the Dolphins in 2011
Personal information
Date of birth	October 7, 1961 (1961-10-07)
Place of birth	West Haven, Connecticut
Career information
Position(s)	Offensive Coordinator
College	University of New Haven
Head coaching record
Regular season	29–31
Postseason	0–1
Career record	29–32
Stats
Coaching stats	Pro Football Reference
Team(s) as a coach/administrator
1984–1987 1988 1989–1993 1994–1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003–2007 2008–2011 2012-present	University of New Haven (Offensive line coach) Boston University (Offensive line coach) Boston University (Offensive coordinator) New Haven (Head coach) Cleveland Browns (Off. quality control) Cleveland Browns (Offensive line coach) Washington Redskins (Tight ends coach) Jacksonville Jaguars (Tight ends coach) Dallas Cowboys (Offensive line coach) (Assistant head coach) Miami Dolphins (Head coach) New York Jets (Offensive coordinator)

Anthony "Tony" Sparano III (born October 7, 1961(1961-10-07)) is the offensive coordinator for the New York Jets of the National Football League (NFL). He previously served as the head coach of the Miami Dolphins. Sparano is the only NFL head coach to lead a one-win team to the playoffs the following year and only the second to conduct a ten-game turnaround, both of which he accomplished in his first season with the Dolphins. However, Sparano was fired by the Dolphins on December 13, 2011, after a disappointing season.

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 1982.

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.

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. While with the Redskins, Sparano was partly responsible for launching the career of Ross Tucker. Sparano was hired by new Dallas Cowboys coach Bill Parcells in 2003, 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.

Head coach

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.

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 seven seasons before losing to the Baltimore Ravens in a wild-card game. The 10-win turnaround tied an NFL record and Sparano finished one vote behind Atlanta Falcons first-year head coach Mike Smith in balloting for the AP Coach of the Year award.

In 2009 and 2010 each, Sparano led the Dolphins to a 7-9 record and third place in the AFC East. Sparano's Dolphins went 1-7 at home in 2010. The Dolphins were the subject of much gossip at the end of the 2010 season when team owner Stephen Ross flew across the country with General Manager Jeff Ireland to interview then Stanford University coach Jim Harbaugh. At the time of the interview with Harbaugh, Sparano was still the team's head coach. It was also reported by numerous media sources that Ross also spoke with former NFL coaches Jon Gruden and Bill Cowher about the not yet open position. According to reports Bill Cowher told Ross he would not talk to him while he had a head coach in place.

On January 8, 2011, the Dolphins gave Sparano a two-year extension with Ross saying he was the perfect man for the job. On December 12, 2011, Sparano was fired from the Miami Dolphins as head coach, and will be replaced by Todd Bowles on an interim basis.

Return to assistant coaching

Sparano was hired as the new offensive coordinator for the New York Jets on January 11, 2012.

Head coaching record

Team	Year	Regular season					Post season
		Won	Lost	Ties	Win %	Finish	Won	Lost	Win %	Result
MIA	2008	11	5	0	.688	1st in AFC East	0	1	.000	Lost to Baltimore Ravens in AFC Wild-Card Game
MIA	2009	7	9	0	.438	3rd in AFC East	-	-	-	-
MIA	2010	7	9	0	.438	3rd in AFC East	-	-	-	-
MIA	2011	4	9	0	.308	4th in AFC East	-	-	-	(fired after week 14)
Total		29	32	0	.475		0	1	.000

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)
• Rex Ryan, New York Jets (2012-)

Personal

Sparano and his wife, Jeanette, have two sons: Tony, Andrew, both members of the University at Albany (N.Y.) football team and a daughter, Ryan Leigh. When asked about finally having a baby girl, Sparano is quoted as saying, "Well, it's a good thing we had her on the third try, because going for it on the fourth try wasn't even an option we had considered." At age 17, Sparano had an incident which burnt his eyes, which is why he always wears his signature sunglasses even at night.

External links

Preceded by Brian Schottenheimer

New York Jets Offensive Coordinator 2012–present

Succeeded by current