Danny White
Danny White is an American football coach in the Arena Football League and also occasionally appears as an analyst on broadcasts of college football games. He was named the head coach of the Arena Football League expansion Utah Blaze, which will begin play in 2006. Prior to that, he served as the head coach of the Arizona Rattlers from 1992 to 2004, winning the ArenaBowl championship in 1994 and 1997. White's contract was not renewed by the new Rattlers ownership after the 2004 season following three consecutive ArenaBowl losses.
A graduate of Mesa Westwood High School in Mesa, Arizona, White had a stellar career as a quarterback and punter at Arizona State University and subsequently appeared briefly in the World Football League before catching on with the National Football League's Dallas Cowboys. Through 1979 he appeared primarily as a punter and backup to star quarterback Roger Staubach, but after Staubach's retirement following the end of that season he became the starting quarterback himself, and for a few years did double-duty as its punter until around 1984. He led the Cowboys to three consecutive NFC championship games (1980-1982) but was widely criticized after the Cowboys lost each of the three despite having been favored in all three games; indeed, a few years after retiring he became involved in a minor automobile accident with a 17-year-old motorist, who referred to White as "you choking dog" once he realized who the driver of the other vehicle was.
His career as a coach began shortly after his playing career ended, but he was widely regarded, like Staubach before him, as knowledgeable of the game and as something as a coach on the field even while still an active player (learning those traits from legendary coach Tom Landry), so his success in the Arena Football League, where he led the Rattlers to two Arena Bowl championships and three other ArenaBowl game appearances, and as an analyst, is unsurprising.
Hall of Fame
White was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1997.
Danny White was recently inducted into the Arena Football League Hall of Fame for his coaching accomplishments with the Arizona Rattlers. Three years into his career with the Rattlers he led the team to the ArenaBowl, a feat which he repeated four times. Named the Arena Football League coach of the Year in 1993, Danny's 141 wins and 20 postseason victories rank him second all time.