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Seattle Seahawks Press Release
posted 01/08/99
KIRKLAND, WA- The Seattle Seahawks named Mike Holmgren the team's Executive Vice President of Football Operations/General Manager & Head Coach, Friday morning, January 8. The length of the contract is eight years.
"Mike Holmgren's record speaks for itself," says Seahawks Chairman Paul Allen. "We are extremely happy to have Mike join us as Executive Vice President of Football Operations/General Manager and Head Coach.
"We had dinner last night with our families and I am just as impressed with him as a person as I am with his coaching record. "We think this is a major step in our continuing commitment to make the Seahawks the best organization possible."
Holmgren takes control of the Seahawks following a seven-year term as head coach of the Green Bay Packers that included a 75-37 (.670) regular season record, a 9-5 (.643) post-season mark, and two Super Bowl appearances, including a 35-21 victory over the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XXXI played in New Orleans. By winning at least one game in five consecutive post-seasons, Holmgren joins John Madden (1973-77) as the only coaches in league history to accomplish the feat.
From 1995-1998, Holmgren's Packers teams went 48-15 (.762), and finished first in the NFC Central Division three times, and second once. His six consecutive post-season appearances established a Green Bay record. Prior to Holmgren's appointment as head coach of the Packers, the team had posted just two winning seasons in the previous 19 years.
Holmgren's 1997 team that won the Super Bowl, led the NFL in scoring with a team-record 456 points and also led the league in defensive scoring. A feat that had not been accomplished since 1972.
Before becoming the Packers head coach, Holmgren served as an assistant coach of the San Francisco 49ers from 1986-91. He coached the quarterbacks from 1986-88, under head coach Bill Walsh and was the team's offensive coordinator from 1989-91, under George Seifert. During his tenure in San Francisco, the 49ers posted a 71-23-1 (.753) regular season record to reach the post-season each year, and won Super Bowl XXII over Cincinnati and Super Bowl XXIV over Denver. As the offensive coordinator in 1989, the 49ers boasted the NFL's top-ranked offense.
Prior to joining the 49ers staff, Holmgren coached the quarterbacks at Brigham Young University from 1982-85, including a national championship in 1984. He also served as the offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach at San Francisco State in 1981.
As a quarterback at San Francisco's Lincoln High School, Holmgren was named 1965's "Prep Athlete of the Year," before continuing his playing career at the University of Southern California from 1966-69. He was drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals in the eighth round of the 1970 draft and went to camp with both the Cardinals and the Jets that year.
Holmgren's coaching career began in 1971 at his alma mater Lincoln High, where he also taught history. One year later, he moved to San Francisco's Sacred Heart High as a teacher and assistant coach. He also coached at Oak Grove High from 1975-80.
He received a bachelor of science degree from USC in 1970.
Off the field, Holmgren serves as co-chair of the NFL's competition committee along with Buccaneers general manager Rich McKay, having taken over for Don Shula in 1996.
Mike and his wife, Kathy, have four daughters-- married twins Calla and Jenny (9/27/73), Emily (1/21/77), and Gretchen (7/14/81).
courtesy Seattle Seahawks