Buddy Ryan as Cardinals head coach: By the Numbers
Jun 28, 2016, 1:14 PM | Updated: 3:10 pm
FILE - In this Sept. 4, 1994, file photo, Arizona Cardinals head coach Buddy Ryan watches his team during the first quarter of a game against the Los Angeles Rams in Anaheim, Calif. Buddy Ryan took a back seat to no one. Neither did his fierce defenses that won two Super Bowls. The pugnacious coach and defensive mastermind whose twin sons have been successful NFL coaches, died Tuesday, June 28, 2016. He was 82. (AP Photo/Kevork Djansezian)
(AP Photo/Kevork Djansezian)
Buddy Ryan, who spent 35 years as an NFL coach and won two Super Bowls, passed away on Tuesday morning.
Ryan was the head coach of the Arizona Cardinals for the 1994 and 1995 seasons. Before that, he was the defensive coordinator for the Chicago Bears’ Super Bowl-winning team in 1985. He also spent time with the Oilers, Eagles, Vikings and Jets.
Arizona changed its team name from the Phoenix Cardinals for the start of the ’94 season, just in time for a brand new head coach. Here’s Ryan’s two seasons with the Arizona Cardinals, by the numbers:
23
Known for his defense, Ryan’s ’94 Cardinals scored just 23 touchdowns – the fewest in the NFL that year. The Cardinals did have 23 interceptions that year, however, for a share of the NFL lead. Finally, in 1995, Ryan’s Cardinals recovered 23 fumbles, the most in the NFL.
6
Six different quarterbacks saw snaps in Ryan’s two seasons in Arizona: Dave Krieg, Steve Beuerlien, Jay Schroeder, Jim McMahon, Mike Buck and Stoney Case.
3
That 1994 Cardinals defense also allowed just 4,408 yards, the third-fewest in the NFL. That was the best rank for an Arizona defense in 25 years.
36
The Cardinals had 36 takeaways in 1994, the most in the NFC.
5,704
A season after boasting the third-best defense in the league, the 1995 Arizona Cardinals allowed 5,704 yards, the fifth-worst mark in the league. The team lost seven of its last eight games that year, and Ryan was dismissed.
66
Over Ryan’s two seasons in the Valley, Cardinals defenses combined for 66 sacks. In 1995, defensive end Clyde Simmons put up 11 sacks and six forced fumbles.
147
In 1995, the 4-12 Cardinals were outscored by opponents 422-275. The differential of -147 is a dramatic regression from the -32 differential the previous year.
12-20
Ryan finished his head coaching tenure with the Cardinals with a 12-20 record.
23.5
The Cardinals home attendance decreased by 23.5 percent from 1994 to 1995. In 1994, the Cards drew 497,330 fans. A year later, that number was down to just 380,314.
