- Neill Armstrong
-
For the astronaut, see Neil Armstrong.
Neill Armstrong Date of birth March 9, 1926 Place of birth Tishomingo, Oklahoma Position(s) Wide receiver College Oklahoma A & M NFL Draft 1947 / Round 1 / Pick 8 Career record 30-34 Stats Playing stats Pro Football Reference Playing stats DatabaseFootball Coaching stats Pro Football Reference Coaching stats DatabaseFootball Team(s) as a player 1947-1951
early 1950sPhiladelphia Eagles
Winnipeg Blue BombersTeam(s) as a coach/administrator 1962-1963
1964-1969
1970-1977
1978-1981
1982-1989Houston Oilers
Edmonton Eskimos
Minnesota Vikings
Chicago Bears
Dallas CowboysNeill Ford Armstrong (born March 9, 1926) is a former American football player and coach whose career spanned more than 40 years at both the collegiate and professional levels.
Armstrong played college football at Oklahoma A & M from 1943–1946, and was drafted in the first round (eighth overall) of the 1947 NFL Draft by the Philadelphia Eagles. Playing both at wide receiver and defensive back, Armstrong helped the team capture the NFL championship in both 1948 and 1949. Armstrong concluded his playing career in the early 1950s playing for the CFL's Winnipeg Blue Bombers.
In 1962, Armstrong's professional coaching career began when he was hired as an assistant coach with the American Football League Houston Oilers. After serving two years in that capacity, he shifted back to Canada as head coach of the Edmonton Eskimos. In his six years, the team reached the postseason three times.
Armstrong was hired as an assistant with the Minnesota Vikings in 1970, and became an integral part of developing the team's dominating defense. After helping the team reach the postseason in all but one of the next eight years, he was hired as head coach of the Chicago Bears on February 16, 1978.
In four years at the helm of the Bears, he was only able to compile a record of 30-35, with one playoff appearance in 1979. He was fired on January 3, 1982, but hired less than two months later as an assistant with the Dallas Cowboys. He spent the next eight seasons with the team before announcing his retirement on February 22, 1990.
He and Bud Grant hold the distinction of being the only two people to have both played and been a head coach in both the NFL and CFL.
Decatur Staleys / Chicago Bears head coaches George Halas (1920–1931) • Ralph Jones (1930–1932) • George Halas (1933–1942) • Heartley Anderson & Luke Johnsos (1942–1945) • George Halas (1946–1955) • Paddy Driscoll (1956–1957) • George Halas (1958–1967) • Jim Dooley (1968–1971) • Abe Gibron (1972–1974) • Jack Pardee (1975–1977) • Neill Armstrong (1978–1981) • Mike Ditka (1982–1992) • Dave Wannstedt (1993–1998) • Dick Jauron (1999–2003) • Lovie Smith (2004– )
Philadelphia Eagles first-round draft picks Berwanger • S. Francis • J. McDonald • O'Brien • McAfee • Kmetovic • Muha • S. Van Buren • Armstrong • Scott • Bednarik • Tripucka • Grant • E. Van Buren • Worden • Bielski • Pellegrini • Peaks • Kowalczyk • B. Brown • Beisler • H. Jones • Rossovich • Keyes • Zabel • R. Harris • Reaves • Sisemore • Young • J. Robinson • R. Young • L. Mitchell • Quick • Haddix • Kenny Jackson • K. Allen • Byars • Brown • Keith Jackson • B. Smith • Davis • Holmes • L. Renfro • B. Williams • Mamula • Mayberry • J. Harris • W. Thomas • McNabb • Simon • F. Mitchell • Sheppard • McDougle • Andrews • Patterson • Bunkley • Maclin • Graham • WatkinsPhiladelphia Eagles 1948 NFL Champions Neill Armstrong | Walt Barnes | Russ Craft | Noble Doss | Otis Douglas | Jack Ferrante | Mario Giannelli | John Green | Fred Hartman | Dick Humbert | Al Johnson | Bucko Kilroy | Ben Kish | Vic Lindskog | Jay MacDowell | Bill Mackrides | John Magee | Bap Manzini | Duke Maronic | Pat McHugh | Joe Muha | Jack Myers | Les Palmer | Jim Parmer | Cliff Patton | Pete Pihos | Hal Prescott | Bosh Pritchard | George Savitsky | Vic Sears | Ernie Steele | Gil Steinke | Frank Szymanski | Tommy Thompson | Steve Van Buren | Al Wistert | Alex Wojciechowicz
Head Coach Greasy NealePhiladelphia Eagles 1949 NFL Champions Neill Armstrong | Walt Barnes | Chuck Bednarik | Russ Craft | Otis Douglas | Jack Ferrante | Mario Giannelli | John Green | Dick Humbert | Mike Jarmoluk | Bucko Kilroy | Ben Kish | Vic Lindskog | Jay MacDowell | Bill Mackrides | John Magee | Duke Maronic | Pat McHugh | Joe Muha | Jack Myers | Jim Parmer | Cliff Patton | Pete Pihos | Hal Prescott | Bosh Pritchard | Frank Reagan | George Savitsky | Clyde Scott | Vic Sears | Leo Skladany | Tommy Thompson | Steve Van Buren | Al Wistert | Alex Wojciechowicz | Frank Ziegler
Head Coach Greasy NealeCategories:- 1926 births
- Living people
- American football defensive backs
- Players of American football from Oklahoma
- American football wide receivers
- American players of Canadian football
- Canadian football wide receivers
- Chicago Bears head coaches
- Dallas Cowboys coaches
- Edmonton Eskimos coaches
- Houston Oilers coaches
- Minnesota Vikings coaches
- National Football League head coaches
- Oklahoma State Cowboys football coaches
- Oklahoma State Cowboys football players
- People from Johnston County, Oklahoma
- Philadelphia Eagles players
- Winnipeg Blue Bombers players
- American football coach stubs
- Canadian football wide receiver stubs
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.