Mike Heimerdinger

Mike Heimerdinger
Personal information
Born:	October 13, 1952; DeKalb, Illinois, U.S.
Died:	September 30, 2011 (aged 58); Mexico
Career information
College:	Eastern Illinois
Career history
As a coach:
	Grant High School ; Assistant coach (1975–1977); Johnsburg High School ; Head coach (1978–1979); Florida ; Graduate assistant (1980); Air Force ; Wide receivers (1981); North Texas State ; Quarterbacks (1982); Florida ; Wide receivers (1983–1987); Cal State Fullerton ; Offensive coordinator (1988); Rice ; Offensive coordinator (1989–1993); Duke ; Offensive coordinator (1994); Denver Broncos ; Wide receivers (1995–1999); Tennessee Titans ; Offensive coordinator (2000–2004); New York Jets ; Offensive coordinator (2005); Denver Broncos ; Assistant head coach (2006) ; Assistant head coach/quarterbacks (2007); Tennessee Titans ; Offensive coordinator (2008–2010);
Career highlights and awards
	2× Super Bowl champion (XXXII, XXXIII); George Halas Award (2011);
	Record at Pro Football Reference

Michael Heimerdinger (October 13, 1952 – September 30, 2011) was an American football coach who held various coordinator and position coach roles during 18 seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He began his career by coaching high school football in Illinois, and then held positions with six different college football teams. Heimerdinger died at the age of 58 in 2011, after suffering from cancer.

Career

Heimerdinger was most recently the offensive coordinator for the Tennessee Titans, a position he had served in from 2000 to 2004 and again from 2008 to 2010. Prior to serving in this position, Heimerdinger was an assistant head coach for the Denver Broncos succeeding Gary Kubiak who took the head coaching position with the Houston Texans.

He played wide receiver at Eastern Illinois University from 1970 to 1974 and was roommates with Mike Shanahan. He was then the wide receivers coach at the University of Florida, when they won two consecutive SEC titles in 1984 and 1985, and after that, was receivers coach for Shanahan with the Denver Broncos, from 1995 until 1999. He was also offensive coordinator for the New York Jets for the 2005 season. Prior to that, he held positions in college football as Duke University's offensive coordinator, Rice University's offensive coordinator, Cal State Fullerton's offensive coordinator, the University of Florida wide receivers' coach, North Texas State's quarterbacks coach, and the U.S. Air Force Academy' wide receivers' coach.

At Tennessee, Heimerdinger coached players such as Steve McNair, Eddie George, Derrick Mason, and Hall of Fame lineman Bruce Matthews. He helped Head Coach Jeff Fisher lead the Titans to the playoffs in 2000, 2002, and 2003.

He was hired by the Jets in 2005, as offensive coordinator, in what would be a disastrous season for the franchise. After the Jets' Head Coach Herman Edwards was released from his contract, Heimerdinger was interviewed and passed over for the head coaching position. Although it was obvious he would have preferred to void his contract with the Jets, he was initially informed by new coach Eric Mangini that he would be retained as offensive coordinator as per his original contract. He was later released from his contract by the Jets as part of an undisclosed agreement. He then took a position as the Denver Broncos' assistant head coach under Mike Shanahan, where he worked with quarterback Jay Cutler, transforming him into the Broncos' starting quarterback.

He returned to the Tennessee Titans as their new offensive coordinator, after the Titans fired Norm Chow.^[1] He was hired to help develop quarterback Vince Young, who was drafted ahead of Cutler in the 2006 NFL draft. Under Heimerdinger, veteran quarterback Kerry Collins, and a dominating defense led by defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz and defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth, the Titans had a 13–3 record (best in the league) and won the AFC South title.

On November 24, 2010, he began to undergo chemotherapy for treating cancer that had been recently diagnosed. His role as offensive coordinator was expected to be assumed by Titans quarterbacks coach Dowell Loggains and offensive line coach Mike Munchak during his absence however, Heimerdinger continued coaching every game throughout the remainder of the season.^[2]

On February 8, 2011, Heimerdinger was fired by newly hired head coach Munchak.^[3]

Personal life

Heimerdinger had two children with his wife, Kathie. His children are Brian and Alicia. Heimerdinger died of cancer on September 30, 2011, in Mexico.^[4]

References

[1] Rocky Mountain News: Heimerdinger leaving Broncos

[2] ESPN: Mike Heimerdinger has cancer

[3] ESPN: Titans fire Mike Heimerdinger

[4] Associated Press via Yahoo Sports (October 1, 2011)

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v t e Denver Broncos Super Bowl XXXII champions
1 Jason Elam 6 Bubby Brister 7 John Elway 8 Jeff Lewis 16 Tom Rouen 20 Tory James 21 Randy Hilliard 22 Vaughn Hebron 23 Darrien Gordon 24 Selwyn Jones 25 Darrius Johnson 26 Tim McKyer 27 Steve Atwater 29 Howard Griffith 30 Terrell Davis (MVP) 31 Derek Loville 32 Tony Veland 33 Dedrick Dodge 34 Tyrone Braxton 37 Anthony Lynn 39 Ray Crockett 42 Detron Smith 50 Jon Hesse 51 John Mobley 53 Bill Romanowski 56 Keith Burns 57 Allen Aldridge 58 Steve Russ 59 Glenn Cadrez 60 K. C. Jones 62 Dan Neil 63 David Diaz-Infante 65 Gary Zimmerman 66 Tom Nalen 69 Mark Schlereth 70 Jamie Brown 72 Ernest Jones 74 Harry Swayne 75 Brian Habib 77 Tony Jones 78 Matt Lepsis 79 Jumpy Geathers 80 Rod Smith 81 Patrick Jeffers 82 David Gamble 83 Flipper Anderson 84 Shannon Sharpe 85 Willie Green 86 Byron Chamberlain 87 Ed McCaffrey 88 Sir Mawn Wilson 89 Dwayne Carswell 90 Neil Smith 91 Alfred Williams 93 Trevor Pryce 94 Keith Traylor 96 Harald Hasselbach 97 Mike Lodish 98 Maa Tanuvasa 99 David Richie
Head coach: Mike Shanahan
Coaches: Frank Bush Barney Chavous Rick Dennison Ed Donatell George Dyer Alex Gibbs Mike Heimerdinger Gary Kubiak Dwain Painter Brian Pariani Ricky Porter Greg Robinson Rick Smith John Teerlinck Bobby Turner
Owner: Pat Bowlen

v t e Denver Broncos Super Bowl XXXIII champions
1 Jason Elam 6 Bubby Brister 7 John Elway (MVP) 14 Brian Griese 16 Tom Rouen 20 Tory James 21 Darrien Gordon 22 Vaughn Hebron 25 Darrius Johnson 26 Eric Brown 27 Steve Atwater 28 Tito Paul 29 Howard Griffith 30 Terrell Davis 31 Derek Loville 34 Tyrone Braxton 37 Anthony Lynn 39 Ray Crockett 42 Detron Smith 48 George Coghill 51 John Mobley 53 Bill Romanowski 54 Nate Wayne 56 Keith Burns 59 Glenn Cadrez 60 K. C. Jones 62 Dan Neil 63 David Diaz-Infante 66 Tom Nalen 69 Mark Schlereth 70 Trey Teague 72 Ernest Jones 73 Cyron Brown 74 Harry Swayne 77 Tony Jones 78 Matt Lepsis 79 Chris Banks 80 Rod Smith 82 Marcus Nash 83 Justin Armour 84 Shannon Sharpe 85 Willie Green 86 Byron Chamberlain 87 Ed McCaffrey 89 Dwayne Carswell 90 Neil Smith 91 Alfred Williams 93 Trevor Pryce 94 Keith Traylor 95 Marvin Washington 96 Harald Hasselbach 97 Mike Lodish 98 Maa Tanuvasa 99 Seth Joyner
Head coach: Mike Shanahan
Coaches: Frank Bush Barney Chavous Rick Dennison Ed Donatell George Dyer Alex Gibbs Mike Heimerdinger Gary Kubiak Pat McPherson Brian Pariani Ricky Porter Greg Robinson Rick Smith John Teerlinck Bobby Turner
Owner: Pat Bowlen