Tag: Ernie Zampese

Commanders QB coach Ken Zampese: Like father, like son

Washington Commanders QB coach Ken Zampese spoke to the media on Friday.

Commanders quarterback coach Ken Zampese has been going through some tough times the last few weeks.

No, not in coaching the Commanders quarterbacks. Much more importantly, Ken’s father, Ernie Zampese died on August 29.

“(I’m) deeply saddened of course selfishly, but very happy and thankful. Everybody hopefully gets a chance to hear well done, good and faithful servant; he did two weeks ago today. So, congratulations to him, very happy for him. He’s my first call. My first guy. He and I were tighter than tight, so there’s nothing left unsaid.  It went quick and it was good for him. He’s in a better place.”

Ken recalls attending training camps when dad Ernie was the Chargers offensive coordinator. “Well, I got a chance to go to training camp at an early age, so that was so much fun for me to watch and be around guys. The ball never hit the ground. I’m watching Don Coryell with Dan Fouts, Charlie Joiner, Kellen Winslow, John Jefferson, Wes Chandler, Lydell Mitchell. All these guys running around catching balls. I had no idea what I was looking at. I had no idea.”

“That was a lot of fun and just seeing dad being the orchestrator of it all. Putting the pieces together but more importantly, what I gained from him was developing relationships, deep lasting, meaningful relationships that just get you to another level of kumbaya with the group you’re in and friendship and camaraderie with the guys. As you noticed, anybody who finishes playing or coaching, they missed the camaraderie more than anything else, and he was a camaraderie builder.”

“From quarterback barbecues in the backyard on Friday nights to all sorts of different things. He built community at every turn. All one-off relationships, meaningful, unique to that person. He’s got little crews all over the place. You go to the Chevron; he’s got a crew at the Chevron 5:00 AM coffee; he’s helping the lady open up. Taking the old papers out, putting the new papers in, getting her set up. Then the guys that work the manual labor jobs are rolling in for coffee. He’s there. They’re going through whatever the deals of the day are. Then he goes over to the grocery store. He knows all the ladies at the pharmacies. He knows everything was building unity, relationships, and community and that’s what I took from him.”

One of the things he learned from dad Ernie that he still uses today is, “It’s just how you deliver a message. You can say anything to somebody, as hard as the message might be, and it’s all in the delivery. The more you have built up before you get to the delivery, the better it’s gonna get received.”

“The only thing gets you through the toughest times is the bonds that you have with the people immediately in your circle. So, we are strengthening and reinforcing those on a daily basis. It was the first thing that hit my brain when we got him (Wentz), after being so excited about it. Broke my leg, doing back flips down the hallway. Just how do we get him tied here, deeply emotionally for he and his family and so we can get the most out of him for all of us.”

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Commanders QB Carson Wentz: ‘It’s a wake-up call

Carson Wentz talked about everything but football on Monday in discussing Brian Robinson Jr. and the death of QBs coach Ken Zampese’s father, Ernie.

Carson Wentz stated Brian Robinson Jr. getting shot is a wake-up call to real-life problems in this world.

Speaking with the media, Wentz opened his reaction to his running back getting shot twice Sunday, “Obviously it’s heartbreaking, but obviously there’s positive news as of late and then how he’s doing, but yeah, caught, caught us all off guard yesterday.”

Wentz said he was involved with a group text of offensive lineman when he said one of the guys sent the news of Robinson being shot to the group. Wentz said he immediately called head  oach Ron Rivera, saying he thought Rivera would know best.

“I think it’s a wake-up call to everybody, he said. “There’s real-life problems out there in this world, but thankfully Brian’s doing well, I’m told, and I look forward to seeing him.”

Wentz then informed the press that quarterbacks coach Ken Zampese’s father, Ernie, had died. So there certainly are real life and death issues being experienced by the Zampese family.

“Some things obviously internally, we are just praying for our guys, you know, we’re a family and, and we want to keep it that way and pray for everybody when they’re going through stuff off the field.”

Wentz then mentioned despite the close call and Zampese losing his father; he thought practice went well. Then he suddenly went back to what was at the forefront of his mind, “…Definitely, again, it is a wake-up call that there’s a lot of things in our world that are sad and unfortunate and things wrong in our society. Yeah, we gotta all be smart.”

Wentz spoke to the humanity of each of us. “It’s sobering for sure. You know, you hear that news, and it’s like, okay, this isn’t even football anymore. Things could have obviously been a lot worse. Yes, it is very real life. It takes you away from football real quick. These are real-life issues that we all are going through, and we’re not immune to it.”

Wentz was actually asked how Robinson may be feeling, missing out on his first NFL game. Wentz may have been puzzled at first, perhaps thinking, “How would I know how he feels? I’ve never been shot twice.”

Carson then wisely countered, “Again, I don’t know kind of overall his state. Again, I haven’t spoken directly to him. Shot him a text, but I know there’s a lot going on in his world. Curious how much of that he’s even thinking about quite frankly. Because when this happens (like we just mentioned) a lot of football and all that, kind of goes to the back burner.”

Wentz chose to elaborate further, “I’m sure there’s frustration, disappointment, all that. That I’m sure he is feeling. (He’s) probably feeling a lot of different emotions, but it is unfortunate, and we’ll see what it means for him long-term and all that stuff. I have no idea. Again, I’m excited to see him back in this building hopefully soon and put this behind.”

On hearing Zampese’s dad had died and Robinson was shot, the 7th-year veteran expressed, “It is sobering. We’re so geared towards our job, everything revolves around football, and it is our life. And I try not to put my identity fully in football. But you do give a lot, you give a lot, and it’s mentally and physically taxing. I think it gives you a sense of reality and makes you realize there is a much bigger picture and there are much more important things in life. ”

Is this really the guy who was supposed to have been such a poor leader in Philadelphia and Indianapolis? Might it sound like it is Wentz who is maturely measuring things more important in life?

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Former Rams OC Ernie Zampese dies at age 86

Former Rams offensive coordinator Ernie Zampese died at the age of 86

Former Los Angeles Rams offensive coordinator Ernie Zampese has died at the age of 86. Zampese spent seven years with the Rams from 1987-1993, all as their offensive coordinator.

In total, Zampese worked in the NFL for 24 years, including as the offensive coordinator for the Chargers, Cowboys and Patriots. He won Super Bowl XXX with the Cowboys.

While with the Rams, Zampese’s offenses ranked in the top 10 in total yards all seven years, including three seasons with a top-five offense.

He was recognized by the Pro Football Hall of Fame this year, being given an Award of Excellence, which was accepted on his behalf by his son, Ken Zampese, who’s the Washington Commanders QBs coach.

Ernie Zampese, Cowboys OC for Super Bowl XXX win, passes away, age 86

The offensive genius was credited with designing the famed “Air Coryell” offense in San Diego, and eventually won a Super Bowl in Dallas. | From @ToddBrock24f7

Ernie Zampese, the longtime assistant coach who served as offensive coordinator in Dallas from 1994 to 1997 and then returned for a second stint with the team as a consultant, has passed away.

The 86-year-old spent nearly three decades on NFL coaching staffs, but his crowning achievement was helping to lead Troy Aikman and the 1995 Cowboys to a win over Pittsburgh in Super Bowl XXX, the third championship in four years for the dynasty.

Aikman paid tribute to Zampese earlier Monday with a post on Instagram.

“Lost a good one today,” Aikman wrote. “Ernie Zampese was one of the brightest offensive minds in the history of the game – many of his offensive concepts are still being used to this day. He was my offensive coordinator in Dallas from 1994-’97. One of my most memorable moments was winning Super Bowl XXX in Tempe, AZ in 1995 and Ernie getting the Super Bowl ring that had alluded [sic] his HOF career. A friend and mentor to so many.”

Prior to joining the Cowboys, Zampese rose to prominence with the San Diego Chargers. While there, he helped create the famed “Air Coryell” offense for quarterback Dan Fouts, a prolific scheme that led the NFL in passing yards six times in his seven seasons with the team. (The year they didn’t lead the league, they finished second.)

Chargers head coach Don Coryell got most of the credit for the offense that bore his name, but even he called Zampese “the best offensive coach I know.”

Norv Turner, who had his own very successful run as Cowboys OC, echoed that sentiment.

Yet, for all his football brilliance, Zampese never helmed a team of his own, at any level of the sport.

“He had no real ambition to be a head coach,” Turner said, per Mortensen. “He just wanted to coach. He loved teaching, creativity, game plans.”

Just two months ago, Zampese was named a recipient of one of the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s inaugural Awards of Excellence.

Zampese’s son Ken, currently the quarterbacks coach for the Washington Commanders, accepted that award in Canton over the summer on Ernie’s behalf. Ken was reportedly excused from the Commanders by Washington head coach Ron Rivera over the weekend to visit his ailing father.

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Former Cowboys OC Ernie Zampese to receive inaugural Award of Excellence from Pro Football Hall of Fame

Zampese led Troy Aikman and the Cowboys to a Super Bowl XXX win. One of the top offensive minds of his era, he’ll now be honored in Canton. | From @ToddBrock24f7

One of the architects of the Cowboys’ most recent Super Bowl victory is making his way to Canton.

Ernie Zampese, the longtime offensive coach who served as coordinator in Dallas from 1994 to 1997 and then returned for a second stint with the team as a consultant, has been named a winner of the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s inaugural “Awards of Excellence.”

The new awards are meant to recognize significant contributions made to the game by individuals from four football disciplines who are not typically considered for enshrinement along players and head coaches.

“These 20 outstanding assistant coaches, athletic trainers, equipment managers, and public relations personnel not only helped to determine results on the field, but they also helped to promote the game’s growth, safety, and popularity over several decades of devotion to their teams and to the National Football League,” Hall of Fame President Jim Porter said in a statement.

Zampese will be one of the assistant coaches honored Thursday, along with Fritz Shurmur, Terry Robiskie, Alex Gibbs, and Jimmy Raye.

The 86-year-old Zampese worked on a handful of NFL staffs nearly nonstop from 1976 until 2004. He already had 18 years of pro experience on his résumé when he came to Dallas in 1994. The Cowboys had just won their second straight Lombardi Trophy, and offensive coordinator Norv Turner had just left to take the head coaching job in Washington.

Then an established OC, Zampese was thought to be content to stay in Southern California, where he had played halfback collegiately for the Trojans and gotten his start in coaching with turns at Cal Poly, San Diego State, and the San Diego Chargers before joining the Los Angeles Rams.

“I think first of all, it’s the possibility of going to a Super Bowl,” Zampese said of the decision to move, per the Los Angeles Times. “I think that’s what we all aspire to do in this profession.”

Less than eight weeks after Zampese accepted the Cowboys job, head coach Jimmy Johnson’s departure rocked the organization. Barry Switzer was taking the reins. And Zampese would now be charged with trying to keep the Dallas offense within the ranks of the elite.

He did just that.

In his first year with Troy Aikman, Emmitt Smith, and Michael Irvin, Zampese’s unit finished second in the league in scoring, averaging 25.9 points per game. They compiled a 12-4 record, only to lose to San Francisco in a wild NFC championship game.

The following year, the Cowboys offense ranked third in points scored (27.2 per game), went 12-4 again, and beat the Pittsburgh Steelers in Super Bowl XXX.

The Dallas dynasty effectively ended with that title. The Cowboys offense dropped to 25th and 22nd in the league in scoring the next two seasons. Zampese, though, had cemented his reputation as an offensive mastermind and moved on to helm the New England offense in 1998.

After two years with the Patriots, Zampese returned to Dallas as an offensive consultant starting with the 2000 season. It was head coach Dave Campo’s first… and would be Aikman’s last.

In his Hall of Fame speech years later, the Cowboys quarterback would call Zampese “one of the best offensive minds and greatest people that this game has ever known.”

And now Zampese will take his place alongside those legends at the Hall.

The four groups presenting these Awards of Excellence helped to create their own selection committees and set their own criteria for choosing the class members to be honored. The Hall of Fame did not take part in any nominating or voting, but will display the winners’ names in Canton.

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