Dan Reeves

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Early life

Reeves was born in Rome, Georgia, and grew up in Americus, Georgia. He attended the University of South Carolina, where he played quarterback from 1962-1964 and was inducted into the school's Athletic Hall of Fame in 1977.

Playing career

Over eight seasons with the Dallas Cowboys, Reeves collected 1,990 rushing yards and 1,693 receiving yards. His best year came in 1966, when he rushed for seven touchdowns, good for a tie for second in the league. Reeves threw a touchdown pass in the Cowboys' losing effort in the legendary "Ice Bowl;" the 1967 Championship Game against the Green Bay Packers. The Cowboys made the playoffs every year of Reeves's playing days, reaching the Super Bowl twice and culminating in a 24-3 victory over the Miami Dolphins in Super Bowl VI following the 1971 season. In Super Bowl V with the Cowboys and Colts tied at 13 in the last 2 minutes, Dan Reeves let a pass go through his hands and it was intercepted, setting up the Colts in Dallas territory. The Colts would win the game on a 32-yard field goal from Jim O'Brien with 5 seconds left. In the offseason, Reeves worked as a salesman for Gifford-Hill, a concrete plant in Grand Prairie, Texas.

Coaching career

Reeves, a protege of Tom Landry, became the youngest head coach in the NFL when he joined the Denver Broncos in 1981 as Vice President and Head Coach. After acquiring quarterback John Elway in a trade, Reeves guided the Broncos to six post-season appearances, five divisional titles, three AFC championships and three Super Bowl appearances (Super Bowl XXI, XXII and XXIV) during his 12-year tenure. Reeves was fired after the 1992 season and replaced by his protege and friend Wade Phillips.

He was the only AFC coach in the decade of the 1980s to lead his team to consecutive Super Bowl berths and his Broncos appeared in the Super Bowl three times during a span of four years.

Reeves served as New York Giants head coach from 1993-1996. In his first season he led the Giants to an 11–5 record and a berth in the playoffs. Reeves' 1993 season record is the best ever for a first-year Giants coach. Reeves was named the 1993 Associated Press Coach of the Year after helping the Giants improve from a 6-10 record in 1992. Reeves was fired again after the Giants went 5–11 in 1995 and 6–10 in 1996.

In 1997 Reeves was named the head coach of the Atlanta Falcons. Under his command the team, which had finished the 1996 campaign with a 3–13 record, steadily improved. After going 7-9 his first season, Reeves took Atlanta to the greatest season in franchise history.

The Falcons went 14–2 in 1998,

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