# Dave Wannstedt
**Dave Wannstedt** (David Raymond Wannstedt, born 1952 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania) is an [American football](https://www.edgepedia.org/american-football) coach who served as head coach of the [Chicago Bears](https://www.edgepedia.org/chicago-bears) (1993–1998) and the [Miami Dolphins](https://www.edgepedia.org/miami-dolphins) (2000–2004), compiling an NFL record of 84 wins and 90 losses in regular-season and postseason games across 11 seasons.[1](https://profootballarchives.com/coaches/wann00200.html) • [2](https://www.footballdb.com/coaches/dave-wannstedt-wannsda01) He later was head coach at the University of Pittsburgh and has worked as a defensive coordinator and media analyst.[3](https://fightingirish.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/21933_und_cstv_com_nd_m_footbl__08fbnotespitt.pdf) • [4](https://www.foxsports.com/personalities/dave-wannstedt)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1952, Pittsburgh, PA; played college football at Pittsburgh[1](https://profootballarchives.com/coaches/wann00200.html) |
| NFL head coaching record | 11 seasons, 1993–2004; 82–87 regular season (.485), 2–3 postseason, 84–90 overall; one division championship[2](https://www.footballdb.com/coaches/dave-wannstedt-wannsda01) |
| Chicago Bears | Head coach January 19, 1993 (11th in club history); 40–56 regular season, 1–1 in playoffs[5](https://library.sfo2.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/publications/football/yearbooks/FCHIBMG-1994-chicago-bears-media-guide.pdf) • [2](https://www.footballdb.com/coaches/dave-wannstedt-wannsda01) |
| Miami Dolphins | Head coach 2000–04; 42–31 regular season, 1–2 in playoffs, 2000 AFC East division title[2](https://www.footballdb.com/coaches/dave-wannstedt-wannsda01) |
| Jimmy Johnson connection | Top lieutenant at Oklahoma State, Miami, the Dallas Cowboys, and the Dolphins, including defensive coordinator of the 1992 Cowboys[6](https://pittsburghpanthers.com/documents/download/2017/6/26/08_09SpringGuide.pdf) |
| College head coach | Named Pittsburgh's 34th head coach on December 23, 2004[3](https://fightingirish.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/21933_und_cstv_com_nd_m_footbl__08fbnotespitt.pdf) |
| Defensive identity | 4-3 defense as the foundation at every stop, including as Buffalo Bills defensive coordinator in 2012[7](https://www.buffalobills.com/news/transcript-ahc-dc-dave-wannstedt-6951452) |
## Early coaching career
Wannstedt began coaching in 1975 as defensive line coach at the [University of Pittsburgh](https://www.edgepedia.org/university-of-pittsburgh), his alma mater. He joined Ted Tollner's staff at [Southern California](https://www.edgepedia.org/southern-california) from 1983 to 1985, then became defensive coordinator at the [University of Miami](https://www.edgepedia.org/university-of-miami) from 1986 to 1988.[5](https://library.sfo2.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/publications/football/yearbooks/FCHIBMG-1994-chicago-bears-media-guide.pdf) At Miami he worked under Jimmy Johnson, who became his career-long mentor; the two had become friends at Pittsburgh, and Johnson later tapped Wannstedt as a top lieutenant at four stops: Oklahoma State, the University of Miami, the Dallas Cowboys, and the Dolphins.[6](https://pittsburghpanthers.com/documents/download/2017/6/26/08_09SpringGuide.pdf)
## Dallas Cowboys
In 1992 Wannstedt served as assistant head coach, defensive coordinator, and linebackers coach under Johnson with the [Dallas Cowboys](https://www.edgepedia.org/dallas-cowboys).[8](https://coaching-tree.app/dave-wannstedt) The acceleration point of his Dallas tenure came in [Super Bowl XXVII](https://www.edgepedia.org/super-bowl-xxvii), when his defense forced nine turnovers in a 52–17 rout of the [Buffalo Bills](https://www.edgepedia.org/buffalo-bills).[5](https://library.sfo2.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/publications/football/yearbooks/FCHIBMG-1994-chicago-bears-media-guide.pdf)
## Chicago Bears (1993–1998)
The Bears named Wannstedt the 11th head coach in club history on January 19, 1993.[5](https://library.sfo2.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/publications/football/yearbooks/FCHIBMG-1994-chicago-bears-media-guide.pdf) Pro-Football-[Reference](https://www.edgepedia.org/reference) lists him as head coach and de facto general manager in Chicago.[9](https://www.pro-football-reference.com/executives/WannDa0.htm) The team improved from 7–9 in 1993 to 9–7 in 1994 and 1995, reaching the playoffs in 1994 and losing to San Francisco in the NFC Divisional Playoff Game.[2](https://www.footballdb.com/coaches/dave-wannstedt-wannsda01) The Bears then slid to 7–9 in 1996 and to consecutive 4–12 records in 1997 and 1998, his final two seasons.[2](https://www.footballdb.com/coaches/dave-wannstedt-wannsda01)
He finished his Chicago tenure with 41 victories, at that point the third-winningest total in franchise history, and the Bears' 2024 media guide still ranks him fourth among the club's career coaching records.[6](https://pittsburghpanthers.com/documents/download/2017/6/26/08_09SpringGuide.pdf) • [10](https://static.www.nfl.com/league/apps/league-site/media-guides/2024/CHI.pdf)
## Miami Dolphins (2000–2004)
Wannstedt spent the 1999 season as assistant head coach under Johnson with the Dolphins and succeeded his friend and mentor in mid-January 2000, less than two years after being fired by the Bears.[8](https://coaching-tree.app/dave-wannstedt) • [11](https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/2000/10/20/wannstedt-takes-different-approach/9d870544-0fe1-4098-8b95-fc23b6785542/) Pro-Football-Reference credits him with player-personnel authority in Miami as well as the head-coaching title.[9](https://www.pro-football-reference.com/executives/WannDa0.htm) Among his first actions were guiding quarterback [Dan Marino](https://www.edgepedia.org/dan-marino) through his retirement and bringing in fresh coordinators: Jim Bates to run the defense and Chan Gailey to run the offense.[11](https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/2000/10/20/wannstedt-takes-different-approach/9d870544-0fe1-4098-8b95-fc23b6785542/)
The Dolphins went 11–5 and won the [AFC East](https://www.edgepedia.org/afc-east) in 2000, losing to Oakland in the AFC Divisional Playoff Game, and went 11–5 again in 2001, losing to Baltimore in the AFC Wild Card Game.[2](https://www.footballdb.com/coaches/dave-wannstedt-wannsda01) From 2000 to 2003 Miami was one of just three NFL teams to record nine or more victories every year, and he finished with a 42–31 regular-season record, the better half of his NFL career.[3](https://fightingirish.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/21933_und_cstv_com_nd_m_footbl__08fbnotespitt.pdf) • [2](https://www.footballdb.com/coaches/dave-wannstedt-wannsda01) The 2004 season opened 1–8, after which his tenure ended.[2](https://www.footballdb.com/coaches/dave-wannstedt-wannsda01)
## University of Pittsburgh (2005–2010)
Pittsburgh named Wannstedt its 34th head coach on December 23, 2004, returning him to his alma mater.[3](https://fightingirish.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/21933_und_cstv_com_nd_m_footbl__08fbnotespitt.pdf) In 2008 the Panthers won nine regular-season games, the program's first nine-win regular season since Dan Marino played there in 1982, and finished one game from winning the Big East conference.[12](https://pittsburghpanthers.com/news/2009/8/24/dave_wannstedt_question_and_answer)
## Defensive scheme
Wannstedt's defenses have been built on the 4-3 alignment, four down linemen and three linebackers. In a 2012 interview as the Buffalo Bills' assistant head coach and defensive coordinator, he said the 4-3 had been the foundation at every place he had coached, from Miami and Dallas to Chicago, and described the scheme as defensive-line friendly, designed to let linemen win one-on-one battles and rush the passer rather than rely on blitzes to generate pressure.[7](https://www.buffalobills.com/news/transcript-ahc-dc-dave-wannstedt-6951452)
## Later work
Wannstedt appears as an NFL analyst for FOX Sports, including interviews on quarterback play and team performance.[4](https://www.foxsports.com/personalities/dave-wannstedt)
## References
1. [Dave Wannstedt Coaching Record, Pro Football Archives](https://profootballarchives.com/coaches/wann00200.html)
2. [Dave Wannstedt Head Coaching Record, The Football Database](https://www.footballdb.com/coaches/dave-wannstedt-wannsda01)
3. [Pittsburgh Head Coach Dave Wannstedt, Notre Dame game notes (2008)](https://fightingirish.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/21933_und_cstv_com_nd_m_footbl__08fbnotespitt.pdf)
4. [Dave Wannstedt, FOX Sports personality page](https://www.foxsports.com/personalities/dave-wannstedt)
5. [Chicago Bears Media Guide (1994)](https://library.sfo2.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/publications/football/yearbooks/FCHIBMG-1994-chicago-bears-media-guide.pdf)
6. [Pitt Football Spring Guide (2009), Wannstedt biography](https://pittsburghpanthers.com/documents/download/2017/6/26/08_09SpringGuide.pdf)
7. [Transcript: AHC/DC Dave Wannstedt, Buffalo Bills (February 16, 2012)](https://www.buffalobills.com/news/transcript-ahc-dc-dave-wannstedt-6951452)
8. [Dave Wannstedt Coaching Tree & Career History, NFL Coaching Tree](https://coaching-tree.app/dave-wannstedt)
9. [Dave Wannstedt Football Executive Record, Pro-Football-Reference](https://www.pro-football-reference.com/executives/WannDa0.htm)
10. [Chicago Bears 2024 Record and Fact Book, career coaching records](https://static.www.nfl.com/league/apps/league-site/media-guides/2024/CHI.pdf)
11. [Wannstedt Takes Different Approach, The Washington Post (October 20, 2000)](https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/2000/10/20/wannstedt-takes-different-approach/9d870544-0fe1-4098-8b95-fc23b6785542/)
12. [Dave Wannstedt: Question and Answer, Pittsburgh Panthers (August 24, 2009)](https://pittsburghpanthers.com/news/2009/8/24/dave_wannstedt_question_and_answer)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Other team and ball sports › Rugby and other football codes › American football players, coaches, and executives › NFL head coaches › Late 20th century head coaches*
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