RIP Bobby Beathard

[matt_garth]

 

[micropolitan guy]

San Diego head coach Mike Riley wanted the Chargers to draft Brady in the post-round 4 portion of the 2000 draft. Beathard didn't let him.

USC offensive coordinator Mike Riley wanted the Trojans to offer Tom Brady out of high school in 1995 (or 1994, whatever was his senior year). John Robinson didn't let him.

Riley's had his issues as a head coach, but the man knew talent when he sees it.

 

[playthrough]

Ah, RIP. Back when the Redskins mattered. And were the Redskins.

 

[DanOregon]

I don't think Riley had issues - good football guy. But taking that Chargers job when Beathard already announced he was heading out the door was a bad career move. It wasn't like the Chargers offered him a huge deal, but it was double the Beavers were paying at the time.

 

[mpcincal]

Beathard deserves credit for building the team that gave San Diego its only Super Bowl berth, but man after that he had a knack for trading away his first-round pick seemingly every year for some small-college guy who, if he hit, would bolster his "smartest man in football" rep. Anyone remember Mikhael Ricks? It was like he didn't want to take an obvious, solid pick because people wouldn't give him enough credit for it.

But, he did a lot of good things with the Bolts, and his work with the Dolphins and Redskins speaks for itself. RIP.

 

[Cosmo]

Ah, RIP. Back when the Redskins mattered. And were the Redskins.

The only part of my life that the Redskins were an enjoyable watch (save for the RGIII season before he got hurt). It's been a damn minute.

 

[Octave]

Beathard built a scab team that beat the Dallas Cowboys full of returning strikers, on MNF.
He once said building the scab team was one of the most fun things in football that he did.

 

[Cosmo]

They won the Super Bowl that season. What a weird few weeks that was.

 

[outofplace]

They won the Super Bowl that season. What a weird few weeks that was.

They won it both seasons that were shortened due to labor issues, which told you a lot about how well Beathard and Gibbs ran things. I hate that franchise, but I couldn't help but respect those two even though Beathard did sometimes seem more interested in trying to pull a genius move than the move that would help his team win.

 

[Octave]

He had a reputation for being a bit of a free spirit but that's a refreshing thing among sportsball GMs, whether it's now or 30 years ago.