| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | (1913-07-17)July 17, 1913 Roseau, Minnesota, U.S. |
| Died | December 18, 1994(1994-12-18) (aged 81) San Diego,California. U.S. |
| Career information | |
| College | Minnesota |
| Career history | |
| |
| Awards and highlights | |
| |
| Head coaching record | |
| Regular season | 21–25–1 (.457) |
| Coaching profile atPro Football Reference | |
| Executive profile atPro Football Reference | |
John Phillip Bengtson (July 17, 1913 – December 18, 1994) was an Americanfootball player and coach.[1] He was a longtime assistant coach incollege football and theNational Football League (NFL), chiefly remembered as the successor toVince Lombardi as head coach of theGreen Bay Packers in1968.
A native ofRoseau, Minnesota, Bengston playedoffensive tackle underBernie Bierman at theUniversity of Minnesota during the 1930s. In 1934, he earnedAll-America honors with theGolden Gophers, working in tandem with a player who went to coaching immortality: quarterbackBud Wilkinson.
Bengtson took his first assistant coaching job at theUniversity of Missouri in 1935, but soon returned to his alma mater as line coach, staying through the 1939 season. Beginning in 1940, he moved toStanford University, where he served as an assistant coach for twelve years. Bengtson moved to the professional level in 1952 with the nearbySan Francisco 49ers.
In seven seasons with the Niners, Bengtson served under three head coaches: (Buck Shaw,Red Strader,Frankie Albert) before being dismissed with Albert after the1958 season. Soon after, he was one of the first four assistants hired in Lombardi's first week with the Packers in early February 1959.
Bengtson was the only assistant coach to stay for the entire nine-year tenure of Lombardi (1959–1967). His work asdefensive coordinator of the Packers established his coaching ability and put him in line to succeed Lombardi. From1961 to 1967, the Packers captured fiveNFL titles and thefirsttwoSuper Bowls.The three consecutive league titles (1965–1967) remains as the only NFLthree-peat since the playoff era began in1933.
Bengtson was promoted to head coach following the 1967 season; his low key approach was in sharp contrast to the often-volatile Lombardi, who remained as general manager for a year. With the aging of key players, this translated into mediocrity for the franchise. The Packers were 20–21–1 in his three seasons as head coach, and finished third in the four-team Central division each year. After a 6–8 record in1970, he was relieved of his duties, replaced byMissouri head coachDan Devine for1971. Devine lasted four seasons with the Packers, through1974, then moved back to the collegiate level at theUniversity of Notre Dame. Lombardi's former quarterback,Bart Starr, became the head coach of the Packers in1975. In 1985, Bengston was inducted into theGreen Bay Packers Hall of Fame.[2]
Bengtson resurfaced in1971 with theSan Diego Chargers for a season and then with theNew England Patriots, becoming the interim head coach of the Patriots in late1972. He was later named the team's director of pro scouting, staying through1974.
After a long illness, Bengtson died at age 81 at his home inSan Diego on December 18, 1994.
| Team | Year | Regular season | Postseason | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Won | Lost | Ties | Win ratio | Finish | Won | Lost | Win percentage | Result | ||
| GB | 1968 | 6 | 7 | 1 | .464 | 3rd in NFL Central | – | – | – | – |
| GB | 1969 | 8 | 6 | 0 | .571 | 3rd in NFL Central | – | – | – | – |
| GB | 1970 | 6 | 8 | 0 | .429 | 3rd in NFC Central | – | – | – | – |
| GB Total | 20 | 21 | 1 | .488 | – | – | – | |||
| NE* | 1972 | 1 | 4 | 0 | .200 | 5th in AFC East | – | – | – | – |
| NE Total | 1 | 4 | 0 | .200 | – | – | – | |||
| Total | 21 | 25 | 1 | .457 | – | – | – | |||
*Interim head coach