 Dishman in 2017 | |||||||||||
| Texas Southern Tigers | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Title | Head coach | ||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||
| Born | (1965-08-13)August 13, 1965 (age 60) Louisville, Kentucky, U.S. | ||||||||||
| Height | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) | ||||||||||
| Weight | 195 lb (88 kg) | ||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||
| High school | DeSales (Louisville) | ||||||||||
| College | Purdue | ||||||||||
| NFL draft | 1988: 5th round, 125th overall pick | ||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||
Playing | |||||||||||
Coaching | |||||||||||
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| Awards and highlights | |||||||||||
| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||||
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Cris Edward Dishman (born August 13, 1965) is an Americanfootball coach and former player who is the 18th head football coach forTexas Southern University, a position he has held since 2024.[1] He played professionally as acornerback for 13 seasons in theNational Football League (NFL).
Dishman playedcollege football for thePurdue Boilermakers and was selected in the fifth round of the1988 NFL draft. He played in the NFL for theHouston Oilers,Kansas City Chiefs,Minnesota Vikings, andWashington Redskins from 1988 to 2000.
Dishman attendedSt. Francis DeSales High School[2] where he was two time Kentucky All-State in 1981 and 1982. Dishman playedcollege football atPurdue University, where he was named to theAll-Big Ten team in 1987.[3] He also rantrack for theBoilermakers, running the200-meter dash and400-meter dash.[3] He graduated in 1988 with a degree incriminal justice.[4]
| Height | Weight | Hand span | 40-yard dash | 10-yard split | 20-yard split | 20-yard shuttle | Vertical jump | Broad jump | Bench press | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) | 173 lb (78 kg) | 8+3⁄4 in (0.22 m) | 4.42 s | 1.58 s | 2.64 s | 4.34 s | 32+1⁄2 in (0.83 m) | 9 ft 9 in (2.97 m) | 7 reps | |||
| All values fromNFL Combine[5] | ||||||||||||
TheHouston Oilers selected Dishman in the fifth round (125th overall) of the1988 NFL draft. He was the 15th cornerback drafted in 1988. On July 16, 1988, the Oilers signed Dishman to a four–year rookie contract that would keep him under contract with the Oilers throughout the 1991 NFL season.[6]
Throughout training camp, he competed againstRichard Johnson to possibly be the No. 2 starting cornerback due to a contract holdout byPatrick Allen. Head coachJerry Glanville named Dishman a backup and listed him as the third cornerback on the depth chart to begin the season, behindSteve Brown and Richard Johnson.
On September 4, 1988, Dishman made his professional regular season debut in the Houston Oilers’ season-opener at theIndianapolis Colts and recorded four solo tackles as they won in overtime 17–14.[7] In Week 2, Dishman earned his first career start in place of Steve Brown who was inactive due to a hamstring injury and set a season-high with three pass deflections as the Oilers defeated theLos Angeles Raiders 38–35. He finished his rookie season in1988 with 20 combined tackles (16 solo), five pass deflections, and a forced fumble in 15 games and two starts.[8]
He returned to training camp slated as a backup cornerback and special teams player. Head coach Jerry Glanville named Dishman a backup and listed him as the third cornerback on the depth chart to start the season, behind starting duo Patrick Allen and Steve Brown.
On October 15, 1989, Dishman made two solo tackles, a pass deflection, and made his first career interception off a pass thrown byMike Tomczak to wide receiverGlen Kozlowski during a 33–28 victory at theChicago Bears.[9] In Week 4, he recorded two combined tackles (one solo) and set a season-high with four pass deflections as the Oilers routed theMiami Dolphins 39–7.[10] In Week 13, he made one solo tackle, two pass deflections, and sealed a 23–16 victory at thePittsburgh Steelers by intercepting a last second Hail Mary thrown byBubby Brister to end the game.[11] On December 10, 1989, Dishman set a season-high with four pass deflections, made one pass break-up, and picked offVinny Testaverde's pass attempt to wide receiverWillie Drewrey as the Oilers defeated theTampa Bay Buccaneers 17–20.[12] He finished the1989 NFL season with a total of 26 combined tackles (20 solo), 20 pass deflections, four interceptions, one forced fumble, and made a fumble recovery in 16 games without any starts.[13] AlthoughPro Football Reference doesn't provide game logs for the 1989 NFL season they recorded Dishman made 37 total tackles.[8]
On January 7, 1990, Oilers’ head coachJerry Glanville announced his resignation following a 9–7 record in1989 and a first-round exit in the playoffs.[14] On January 10, 1990, theHouston Oilers announced their decision to hireJack Pardee to be their new head coach.[15]Throughout training camp, Dishman was impressive in the absence of starters Steve Brown and Patrick Allen. Steve Brown would miss the majority of training camp due to an injury while Patrick Allen was in the midst of a holdout due to a contract dispute. Head coach Jack Pardee named Dishman and Richard Johnson the starting cornerbacks to begin the season.[16]
On October 14, 1990, Dishman set a season-high with six combined tackles (five solo), made two pass deflections, and intercepted a passBoomer Esiason threw toKendal Smith as the Oilers routed theCincinnati Bengals 17–48.[17] In Week 13, he recorded three solo tackles, tied his season-high with three pass deflections, and intercepted a pass attemptDave Krieg threw to wide receiverJeff Chadwick during a 10–13 loss at theSeattle Seahawks.[18] He started in all 16 games throughout the1990 NFL season for the first time in his career and finished with 51 combined tackles (48 solo), 25 pass deflections, four interceptions, and a forced fumble.[19] Pro Football Reference recorded 62 total tackles for Dishman in 1990.[8]
TheHouston Oilers selected cornerbacksDarryll Lewis in the second round (58th overall) andSteve Jackson in the third round (71st overall) of the1991 NFL draft following the departures of Patrick Allen and Steve Brown. Defensive coordinatorJim Eddy retained Dishman and Richard Johnson as the starting cornerbacks to begin the season. Along with safetiesBubba McDowell andMichael Dumas, the Oilers secondary became known as “the Young Guns”.[20]
On September 16, 1991, Dishman made four combined tackles (three solo), one pass deflection, and secured a 7–17 win against theKansas City Chiefs by intercepting a passSteve DeBerg threw to wide receiverFred Jones in the fourth quarter.[21] The following week, he set a season-high with ten combined tackles (six solo), made three pass deflections, and intercepted a passHugh Millen threw to wide receiverIrving Fryar during a 20–24 loss at theNew England Patriots in Week 4.[22] In Week 6, Dishman made eight combined tackles (six solo), two pass deflections, an interception, and returned a fumble by wide receiver Steve Sidwell for a 19–yard touchdown as the Oilers defeated theDenver Broncos 42–14.[23] On October 20, 1991, Dishman made a pass deflection and secured a 17–13 win at theMiami Dolphins by recovering a fumble that linebackerLamar Lathon caused by running backSammie Smith with 3:21 remaining in the fourth quarter.[24] In Week 11, he recorded five solo tackles and set a season-high with four pass deflections during a 26–23 overtime victory against theDallas Cowboys.[25] On November 17, 1991, he recorded two solo tackles, one pass deflection, and set a career-high with his sixth interception of the season on a pass byBernie Kosar to running backKevin Mack during a 24–28 victory against theCleveland Browns.[26] He was inactive as the Oilers lost 14–26 at thePittsburgh Steelers due to a hamstring injury. He finished the1991 NFL season with a total of 66 combined tackles (53 solo), 22 pass deflections, three forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, and one touchdown in 15 games and 15 starts. He set a career-high with six interceptions throughout the season.[8] His performance earned him a selection to the1992 Pro Bowl, marking the firstPro Bowl selection of his career.
Dishman had fully completed his four–year rookie contract, but was unable to negotiate with any teams as the Oilers still held his player rights without the existence of free agency prior to 1993. He was unable to come to terms on a contract and subsequently was a training camp holdout along with seven other teammates, including Pro BowlersWarren Moon,Mike Munchak,William Fuller,Sean Jones, andCurtis Duncan.[27] On September 2, 1992, theAtlanta Falcons proposed a trade for Dishman and a high round draft selection to the Houston Oilers in return for wide receiverAndre Rison.[28] Head coach Jack Pardee named Richard Johnson andJerry Gray the starting cornerbacks to begin the season with Dishman continuing to holdout due to his contract throughout Week 1.
On September 10, 1992, theHouston Oilers re-signed Dishman to a two–year, $1.55 million contract that would keep him under contract with the team throughout the1994 NFL season.[29][30] On September 13, 1992, the Oilers waived starting cornerback Richard Johnson.[31] Entering Week 2, head coach Jack Pardee named Dishman the No. 1 starting cornerback and paired him with Jerry Gray. In Week 6, he recorded two solo tackles and set a season-high with four pass deflections during a 26–10 win against theCincinnati Bengals. On December 27, 1992, Dishman set a season-high with six combined tackles (four solo), and intercepted a passFrank Reich threw to wide receiverJames Lofton as the Oilers defeated theBuffalo Bills 3–27.[32] He finished the season with a total of 39 combined tackles (32 solo), 19 pass deflections, three interceptions, and a forced fumble in 15 games and 15 starts.[8]
On January 5, 1993, the Houston Oilers fired defensive coordinatorJim Eddy after finishing the1992 NFL season with a 10–6 record and losing in the first round of the playoffs to theBuffalo Bills who overcame a 35–3 deficit known as”The Comeback”.[33] On January 30, 1993, theHouston Oilers hired former Philadelphia Eagles’ head coachBuddy Ryan to be their new defensive coordinator.[34]Head coachJack Pardee named Dishman as the No. 1 starting cornerback to begin the season and paired him withDarryll Lewis.
On September 12, 1993, Dishman recorded five solo tackles, made two pass deflections, and forced a fumble by tight endMike Dyal, recovered, and returned it 58–yards for a touchdown during a 0–30 victory against theKansas City Chiefs. In Week 4, No. 2 starting cornerback Darryll Lewis suffered a season-ending knee injury and was replaced bySteven Jackson for the rest of the season. On December 12, 1993, Dishman recorded three tackles, made three pass deflections, and led the Oilers to a 17–19 comeback victory against theCleveland Browns by intercepting a passVinny Testaverde threw to wide receiverMark Carrier later in the fourth quarter.[35] In Week 16, he recorded three solo tackles and set a season-high with four pass deflections during a 26–17 victory at thePittsburgh Steelers. In Week 18, Dishman set a season-high with nine solo tackles and made one pass deflection as the Oilers defeated theNew York Jets 24–0 to win their 11th game in-a-row. He started in all 16 games throughout the season and finished with 74 combined tackles (64 solo), 29 pass deflections, six interceptions, four forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, and one touchdown. He set career-highs in pass deflections and forced fumbles and tied his career-high of six interceptions.[36][8]
TheHouston Oilers finished the1993 NFL season first in theAFC Central with a 12–4 record and earned a first-round bye in the playoffs. On January 16, 1994, Dishman made seven combined tackles (four solo) and two pass deflections as they lost 28–20 to theKansas City Chiefs in the AFC Divisional Round.[37]
On February 9, 1994, theHouston Oilers hiredJeff Fisher to be their new defensive coordinator following the departure of Buddy Ryan who accepted a head coaching position with theArizona Cardinals.[38] On March 10, 1994, the Oilers re-signed Dishman to a two–year, $3.90 million contract that included an initialsigning bonus of $1 million.[39] Head coach Jack Pardee retained Dishman as a starting cornerback to begin the season and paired him with the returning Darryll Lewis.
On November 14, 1994, the Houston Oilers fired head coach Jack Pardee after falling to a 1–9 record and appointed defensive coordinator Jeff Fisher to head coach. In Week 11, he set a season-high with eight solo tackles during a 31–34 loss at theCincinnati Bengals.[40] On December 4, 1994, Dishman recorded two combined tackles (one solo), set a season-high with three pass deflections, and returned an interception for a touchdown to mark the first pick-six of his career during a 30–12 loss to theArizona Cardinals. During the first quarter, he intercepted a passJay Schroeder threw to wide receiverRicky Proehl and returned it for a 36–yard touchdown.[41] He started in all 16 games and finished with 66 combined tackles (53 solo), 22 pass deflections, four interceptions, one fumble recovery, and scored one touchdown.[8]
The Oilers’ new defensive coordinatorSteve Sidwell retained Dishman as the No. 1 starting cornerback to begin the season and paired him with Darryll Lewis. In Week 6, he set a season-high with seven combined tackles (five solo) during a 17–23 overtime loss at theMinnesota Vikings. On October 29, 1995, Dishman made one solo tackle, two pass deflections, and set a season-high with two interceptions off passes thrown byTrent Dilfer as the Oilers defeated theTampa Bay Buccaneers 7–19.[42] He finished the season with 58 combined tackles (48 solo), 11 pass deflections, three interceptions, two forced fumbles, and two fumble recoveries in 15 games and 15 starts.[8]
Following the1995 NFL season, Dishman became a restricted free agent and was also franchise tagged by the Oilers. The Oilers were able to match any contract offers made by any teams, but would have to pay him a salary equal to the top five highest paid cornerbacks. On February 10, 1996, theHouston Oilers re-signed Dishman to a fully-guaranteed one–year, $3.06 million contract.[39][43]
Head coach Jeff Fisher named Dishman the No. 1 starting cornerback to begin the season alongside Darryll Lewis. On September 1, 1996, Dishman started in theHouston Oilers’ home-opener against theKansas City Chiefs and recorded five combined tackles (three solo) and set a season-high with three pass deflections as they lost 20–19. In Week 7, he set a season-high with nine combined tackles (eight solo) and made one pass break-up during a 23–13 win at theAtlanta Falcons.[44] On December 1, 1996, Dishman made four combined tackles (two solo), two pass deflections, and had his last interception with the Oilers on a passGlenn Foley threw toKeyshawn Johnson during a 35–10 victory at theNew York Jets.[45] He started in all 16 games throughout the1996 NFL season and finished with a total of 57 combined tackles (42 solo), 14 pass deflections, two fumble recoveries, and made one interception.[8]Following an 8–8 record in 1996, Dishman became an unrestricted free agent and did not receive an offer from theTennessee Oilers. During free agency, he met with the Washington Redskins andChicago Bears.[46]
On April 4, 1997, theWashington Redskins signed Dishman to a four–year, $9.60 million contract that included an initial signing bonus of $2.00 million.[47][48] He was signed following the departure ofTom Carter to the Chicago Bears in free agency. He entered training camp slated as the No. 2 starting cornerback under defensive coordinatorMike Nolan. Head coachNorv Turner named Dishman andDarrell Green the starting cornerbacks to begin the season.[49]
On August 31, 1997, Dishman started in theWashington Redskins’ season-opener at theCarolina Panthers and made two solo tackles, two pass deflections, and made his first interception as a part of the Redskins on a pass Steve Buerlein threw to tight endWesley Walls as they won 24–10.[50] On October 13, 1997, Dishman recorded seven solo tackles and set a season-high with four pass deflections as the Redskins defeated theDallas Cowboys 21–16.[51] The following week, he made four combined tackles (three solo), a pass deflection, and made the first sack of his career on former teammateSteve McNair for a three–yard loss alongside linebackerMarvcus Patton during a 14–28 loss at theTennessee Oilers in Week 8.[52] On December 7, 1997, Dishman made five combined tackles (four solo), two pass deflections, set a season-high with two interceptions, and returned one for a touchdown during a 38–28 win at theArizona Cardinals. During the third quarter, Dishman intercepted a passJake Plummer threw to wide receiverKevin Williams and returned it 21–yards for a touchdown.[53] He finished the1997 NFL season with 64 combined tackles (56 solo), 19 pass deflections, four interceptions, 1.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, a fumble recovery, and scored one touchdown in 16 games and 15 starts.[8] His performance earned him a selection to the1998 Pro Bowl, marking the second and final Pro Bowl selection of his career. His fellow cornerback Darrell Green was also selected.
Head coach Norv Turner retained Dishman and Darrell Green as the starting cornerbacks to begin the season. At age 33 and Darrell Green at age 38, they were the oldest cornerback tandem in the league. In Week 3, he recorded six combined tackles (five solo) and set a season-high with four pass deflections during a 14–24 loss at theSeattle Seahawks.[54] On November 15, 1998, Dishman set a season-high with seven solo tackles, made two pass deflections, and set a season-high with two interceptions off passes byBobby Hoying andKoy Detmer as the Redskins routed thePhiladelphia Eagles 3–28.[55] He started in all 16 games throughout the1998 NFL season and recorded 68 combined tackles (60 solo), eight pass deflections, two interceptions, and had one forced fumble.[8]
On April 17, 1999, theWashington Redskins released Dishman in order to save $2.70 million on their salary cap. The same day, the Redskins also selected cornerbackChamp Bailey in the first round (7th overall) of the1999 NFL draft.
On May 13, 1999, theKansas City Chiefs signed Dishman to a three–year, $4.70 million contract that included a signing bonus of $100,000.[39][56]He entered training camp slated as the No. 2 starting cornerback following the departures ofDale Carter andMark McMillian. Head coachGunther Cunningham named Dishman andJames Hasty the starting cornerbacks to begin the season.
In Week 9, he set a season-high with seven solo tackles during a 17–25 loss at theIndianapolis Colts. On November 28, 1999, Dishman recorded six combined tackles (four solo), set a season-high with three pass deflections, an interception, a fumble recovery, and set a career-high with two touchdowns to lead the Chiefs to a late 37–34 fourth quarter comeback victory at theOakland Raiders. During the third quarter, Dishman had a pick-six after picking off a passRich Gannon threw to running backTyrone Wheatley and returned it 47–yards for a touchdown. During the fourth quarter, as the Chiefs were losing 27–34, Dishman recovered a fumble by tight endDerrick Walker that was forced by free safetyJerome Woods and returned it for a 40–yard touchdown to tie the game 34–34.[57] In Week 17, he recorded six combined tackles (five solo), tied his season-high with three pass deflections, and intercepted a Rich Gannon's pass toTim Brown during a 41–38 overtime loss against the Oakland Raiders.[58] He started in all 16 games throughout the1999 NFL season for the Chiefs and recorded 72 combined tackles (60 solo), 21 pass deflections, five interceptions, three forced fumbles, one fumble recovery, and set a career-high with two touchdowns.[8]
On August 28, 2000, theMinnesota Vikings signed Dishman to a three–year, $5.25 million contract that included an initial signing bonus of $250,000.[39]He entered training camp slated as the No. 1 starting cornerback following the departures ofRamos McDonald andJimmy Hitchcock. Head coachDennis Green named Dishman andRobert Tate the starting cornerbacks to begin the season.[59]
On September 17, 2000, Dishman made five solo tackles, two pass deflections, and made the last interception of his career on a passDrew Bledsoe threw to wide receiverTerry Glenn during a 21–13 victory at theNew England Patriots.[60] In Week 8, he set a season-high with seven solo tackles as the Vikings defeated theBuffalo Bills 31–27. On November 6, 2000, Dishman recorded seven combined tackles (five solo) and made two pass deflections before he infamously botched an interception during a 20–26 overtime loss at theGreen Bay Packers.[61] During overtime,Brett Favre would throw a pass to wide receiverAntonio Freeman who slipped on the wet grass atLambeau Field. Dishman dropped an interception onto the back shoulder of Freeman, who turned over to make the catch. Antonio Freeman would immediately get up to his feet and score the 43–yard game-winning touchdown. The following week, Dishman would be inactive due to a separated shoulder, losing his starting role toKenny Wright in the process. On November 26, 2000, theMinnesota Vikings officially released Dishman. He finished the season with 52 combined tackles (45 solo), nine pass deflections, and one interception in 11 games and nine starts.[8]
After retiring, Dishman became a footballcoach. He started off by taking part in the NFL's Minority Coaching Fellowship program. During the2006 Miami Dolphins season, Dishman spenttraining camp as a coach for the Dolphins, alongsideEric Green andCornell Brown.[4] Shortly afterward, Dishman became the defensive backs coach forMenlo College in 2006. He spent the summer of 2007 again as part of the minority coaching fellowship, this time as a coach for theOakland Raiders.[62]
On January 21, 2009, Dishman was hired by theSan Diego Chargers as an assistant defensive backs coach, helping out newly acquired secondary coachSteven Wilks.
On January 14, 2015, Dishman joined theBaylor University football staff coaching Safeties.[63]
On May 20, 2018, Dishman joined theMontreal Alouettes as part of the Canadian Football LeagueCFL to coach the defensive backs.[64]
On June 1, 2019, Dishman was named the defensive backs coach for theNew York Guardians of theXFL.[65]
On July 1, 2020, Dishman was named the defensive backs coach forIMG Academy in Bradenton, FL.[66]
In March 2022, Dishman was named the defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach for theNew Jersey Generals of theUSFL.[67]
Dishman was officially hired by theVegas Vipers on September 13, 2022[68] In summer 2024, Dishman was named Head Coach at Texas Southern University.[69]
| Year | Team | Games | Tackles | Interceptions | Fumbles | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Comb | Solo | Ast | Sck | Int | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | FF | FR | Yds | TD | ||
| 1988 | HOU | 15 | 2 | 21 | — | — | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1989 | HOU | 16 | 0 | 37 | — | — | 0.0 | 4 | 31 | 7.8 | 31 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1990 | HOU | 16 | 16 | 62 | — | — | 0.0 | 4 | 50 | 12.5 | 42 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1991 | HOU | 15 | 15 | 66 | — | — | 0.0 | 6 | 61 | 10.2 | 43 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 19 | 1 |
| 1992 | HOU | 15 | 15 | 40 | — | — | 0.0 | 3 | 34 | 11.3 | 17 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1993 | HOU | 16 | 16 | 78 | — | — | 0.0 | 6 | 74 | 12.3 | 30 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 69 | 1 |
| 1994 | HOU | 16 | 16 | 66 | 53 | 13 | 0.0 | 4 | 74 | 18.5 | 38 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 29 | 0 |
| 1995 | HOU | 15 | 15 | 58 | 48 | 10 | 0.0 | 3 | 17 | 5.7 | 17 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 15 | 0 |
| 1996 | HOU | 16 | 16 | 57 | 42 | 15 | 0.0 | 1 | 7 | 7.0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 1997 | WAS | 16 | 15 | 64 | 56 | 8 | 1.5 | 4 | 47 | 10.8 | 29 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1998 | WAS | 16 | 16 | 66 | 60 | 6 | 0.0 | 2 | 60 | 30.0 | 49 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1999 | KC | 16 | 16 | 72 | 60 | 12 | 0.0 | 5 | 95 | 19.0 | 47 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 40 | 1 |
| 2000 | MIN | 11 | 9 | 52 | 45 | 7 | 0.0 | 1 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Career | 199 | 167 | 739 | 364 | 71 | 1.5 | 43 | 550 | 12.8 | 49 | 3 | 15 | 16 | 172 | 3 | |
| Year | Team | Overall | Conference | Standing | Bowl/playoffs | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Texas Southern Tigers(Southwestern Athletic Conference)(2024–present) | |||||||||
| 2024 | Texas Southern | 5–6 | 4–4 | 3rd(West) | |||||
| 2025 | Texas Southern | 6–5 | 5–3 | (West) | |||||
| Texas Southern: | 11–11 | 9–7 | |||||||
| Total: | 11–11 | ||||||||