2024 has been quite the year for veteran offensive line coach Bill Callahan. After departing the Cleveland Browns for a chance to work with his son Brian on the Titans, he was just notified that he has been selected as a 2024 Paul “Dr. Zimmerman Award winner by the Professional Football Writers of America (PFWA).
Bill Callahan's acceptance speech for the Dr. Z Award. https://t.co/djvIYd2q1f pic.twitter.com/Zbo5yykjeC
— TURRON DAVENPORT (@TDavenport_NFL) August 22, 2024
Named for Paul Zimmerman, who covered the NFL for 29 years as Sports Illustrated’s lead pro football writer, this award, instituted by the PFWA in 2014, recognizes lifetime achievement as an NFL assistant coach. On Tuesday, he joined Kansas City Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo in receiving the award.
The award should not come as a surprise to Titans fans, as Callahan is highly regarded as one of the preeminent offensive line coaches in the NFL. In all, he has spent 22 seasons coaching the offensive line and seven years as offensive coordinator at multiple stops, where he guided 14 offensive linemen to a total of 35 Pro Bowl selections. With some talented young players now under his tutelage, he will look to add to those numbers.
PAUL “DR. Z” ZIMMERMAN AWARD WINNERS (For lifetime achievement as an assistant coach in the NFL):
- 2014 – Jim Johnson, Howard Mudd, Fritz Shurmur and Ernie Zampese
- 2015 – Dick LeBeau, Tom Moore and Dante Scarnecchia
- 2016 – Monte Kiffin and Wade Phillips
- 2017 – Bud Carson
- 2018 – Joe Bugel and Emmitt Thomas
- 2019 – Gunther Cunningham and Mike Westhoff
- 2020 – Bill Arnsparger and Romeo Crennel
- 2021 – Rod Marinelli and Bobby Turner
- 2022 – Leslie Frazier and Greg Knapp
- 2023 – Don “Wink” Martindale, Bobb McKittrick and John Mitchell
- 2024 – Bill Callahan and Steve Spagnuolo