Tennessee Titans (2015–2017) Defensive coordinator & assistant head coach
Career highlights and awards
As player
3× Second-team All-Pro (1964, 1965, 1970)
3× Pro Bowl (1964–1966)
Pride of the Lions
Detroit Lions 75th Anniversary Team
Detroit Lions All-Time Team
National champion (1957)
As coach
2× Super Bowl champion (XL, XLIII)
Sporting News Coordinator of the Year (2008)
Pittsburgh Pro Football Hall of Fame
Career NFL statistics
Interceptions:
62
Touchdowns:
4
Player stats at PFR
Coaching stats at PFR
Pro Football Hall of Fame
Charles Richard LeBeau (/ləˈboʊ/lə-BOH; born September 9, 1937) is an American former professional football player and coach in the National Football League (NFL) He was active at field level in the NFL for 59 consecutive seasons, 14 playing as a cornerback with the Detroit Lions and 45 as a coach.[1] LeBeau spent the majority of his coaching career as a defensive assistant, most notably as the defensive coordinator of the Cincinnati Bengals and Pittsburgh Steelers. Described as an "innovator" and "defensive football genius",[2][3] he is considered to be one of the greatest defensive coordinators of all time.[4]
LeBeau played college football for the Ohio State Buckeyes. He was selected by the Cleveland Browns in the fifth round of the 1959 NFL draft before signing with the Lions, where he was named to three Pro Bowls. Upon retiring as a player in 1972, LeBeau began his coaching career the following season as the special teams coach of the Philadelphia Eagles and landed his first defensive role as the Green Bay Packers' defensive backs coach in 1976. He joined the Bengals in 1980, where he spent 19 non-consecutive years, including 12 years as defensive coordinator. During his first stint as Cincinnati's defensive coordinator, LeBeau popularized the "zone blitz", which helped the Bengals make two Super Bowl appearances in Super Bowl XVI and Super Bowl XXIII. He also served as the Bengals' head coach from 2000 to 2002, his sole head coaching position.
In between his two stints with Cincinnati, LeBeau began a defensive assistant tenure for the Steelers in 1992 and rejoined them in 2004 after one season as the Buffalo Bills' assistant head coach. His time in Pittsburgh spanned 16 non-consecutive years, holding the position of defensive coordinator for 13 years. LeBeau helped the Steelers make four Super Bowl appearances as their defensive coordinator, winning Super Bowl XL and Super Bowl XLIII during his second stint. After leaving the Steelers for the second time in 2014, LeBeau served as the defensive coordinator and assistant head coach of the Tennessee Titans until 2017. He was inducted to the Pro Football Hall of Fame as a player in 2010.
^Domowitch, Paul (January 28, 2009). "Unassuming LeBeau has respect of blitzing Steelers defense". Philadelphia Daily News.
^Gosselin, Rick (January 30, 2009). "Steelers' LeBeau deserves spot in Hall of Fame". Dallas Morning News.
^Kragthorpe, Kurt (January 29, 2009). "Steelers' LeBeau knows defense". Salt Lake Tribune. Archived from the original on February 6, 2009.
^Brubach, Holly (January 8, 2009). "After the Zone Blitz, the Deadpan Defense". The New York Times.
Charles Richard LeBeau (/ləˈboʊ/ lə-BOH; born September 9, 1937) is an American former professional football player and coach in the National Football...
Taylor in 2021. Gregg leads all coaches in winning percentage with .561. DickLeBeau had the lowest winning percentage, with .267. Of the nine Bengals head...
Archived from the original on April 12, 2019. Retrieved October 19, 2019. "DickLeBeau". Pro Football Hall of Fame. Archived from the original on June 29, 2019...
Player of the Week. In his first season under new defensive coordinator DickLeBeau, Polamalu finished with a career-high 96 combined tackles (67 solo),...
35th overall, and the second and final full season under head coach DickLeBeau. With a record of 2–14, however, they were the worst team in football...
Archived from the original on May 25, 2018. Retrieved May 18, 2018. "DickLeBeau". Pro Football Hall of Fame. Archived from the original on May 23, 2018...
Williams, Ricardo Colclough, and Bryant McFadden. Defensive coordinator DickLeBeau named Taylor the starting cornerback to begin the regular season, alongside...
retain many of Cowher's assistants, most notably defensive coordinator DickLeBeau, whose defensive philosophy contrasted with Tomlin's. This was done in...
(1980–1983) Sam Wyche (1984–1991) Dave Shula (1992–1996) Bruce Coslet (1996–2000) DickLeBeau (2000–2002) Marvin Lewis (2003–2018) Zac Taylor (2019–present)...
coordinator Tim Lewis. The Pittsburgh Steelers' new defensive coordinator, DickLeBeau, retained Hampton as the starting nose tackle, alongside defensive ends...
former All-Pro Detroit Lions DB and Bengal defensive coordinator DickLeBeau. Under LeBeau, the Bengals dropped their first three games, with an eventual...
offense also came from Cincinnati. Then-Bengals defensive coordinator DickLeBeau (who later served as the team's head coach from 2000 to 2002) created...
36th overall, and the first under head coach Marvin Lewis, who replaced DickLeBeau, who was fired following the 2002 season which the worst season in Bengals...
(2010–2012) Jim Haslett: New Orleans Saints (2000–2005), St. Louis Rams (2008) DickLeBeau: Cincinnati Bengals (2000–2002) Marvin Lewis: Cincinnati Bengals (2003–2018)...
Cincinnati Bengals history on January 14, 2003, when he was hired to replace DickLeBeau, who was fired after the worst season in franchise history in terms of...
Retrieved 24 May 2016. "Jim Kelly HOF Page". Retrieved 24 May 2016. "DickLeBeau HOF Page". Retrieved 24 May 2016. "Marv Levy HOF Page". Retrieved 24...
com. Archived from the original on 2023-10-13. Retrieved 2013-11-07. "DickLeBeau stats". pro-football-reference.com. Archived from the original on 9 November...
the draft, the Green Bay Packers selected quarterback Randy Duncan. DickLeBeau, defensive back from Ohio State University taken 5th round 58th overall...
played under defensive coordinator Dom Capers and assistant coaches DickLeBeau and Marvin Lewis. On November 14, 1994, Woodson intercepted pass by Bills'...
Jerry Rice, Emmitt Smith, Floyd Little, Russ Grimm, Rickey Jackson and DickLeBeau. He was also inducted into the Texas Sports Hall of Fame during the same...
posthumously. This is the fewest of any draft class since 1959 had only DickLeBeau reach Canton. Franco Harris, running back from Penn State, taken 1st...
played at 200. It was also the final season for longtime defensive back DickLeBeau. Notes Detroit traded QB Greg Barton to Philadelphia in exchange for...
Clive Rush, Toledo, Boston Patriots Fred Bruney, Philadelphia Eagles DickLeBeau, Cincinnati Bengals (Professional Football Hall of Fame as a player)...
AFC Central 5th 4 12 0 Bruce Coslet (0–3) DickLeBeau (4–9) 2001 2001 NFL AFC Central 6th 6 10 0 DickLeBeau 2002 2002 NFL AFC North 4th 2 14 0 2003 2003...
April 2, 2024. "DickLeBeau". Pro Football Hall of Fame. Archived from the original on June 29, 2019. Retrieved January 3, 2022. "DickLeBeau Stats, Height...
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