West Coast Offense

Lore & Background

There are two similar but distinct NFL offensive strategic systems commonly referred to as 'West Coast offenses.' Originally, the term referred to the unrelated Air Coryell system popularized by Don Coryell with the San Diego Chargers. Following a journalistic error, it now more commonly refers to the offensive system invented by Bill Walsh while he was the offensive coordinator for the Cincinnati Bengals in the 1970s. The offense is characterized by short, horizontal passing routes in lieu of running plays to 'stretch out' defenses, opening up the potential for long runs or long passes.

It was popularized and perfected when Walsh was the head coach of the San Francisco 49ers from 1979 to 1988. The Bill Walsh coaching tree has led to several future NFL coaches adapting aspects of the West Coast offense, including George Seifert, Mike Holmgren, Mike Sherman, Steve Mariucci, Andy Reid, Jon Gruden, Dennis Green, and Mike Shanahan, among others. NFL players notable for executing the West Coast offense include Aaron Rodgers, Virgil Carter, Joe Montana, Jerry Rice, Steve Young, Donovan McNabb, Terrell Owens, Rich Gannon, and Tim Brown.

Reader's Guide

The origins of the offensive system devised by Walsh go back to Paul Brown, coach of the Cleveland Browns and later the Cincinnati Bengals. Under Brown's tenure, Walsh was tasked with devising an offensive plan suited to Bengal quarterback Virgil Carter, who had an accurate but relatively weak arm. In response, Walsh created a system based on short, high-percentage passes, favoring straight and direct ten- to fifteen-yard strikes over forty- to fifty-yard 'bombs.'

This system compensated for any weakness in the quarterback's arm, as it allowed the ball to be thrown to short and intermediate routes where receivers with running ability could attempt to make up for any shortage in yards after catch. Walsh's system immediately paid off, as Virgil Carter led the league in passing percentage in 1971. Strong-armed Ken Anderson, initially a 'project' of Walsh's, replaced Carter as Cincinnati's starting quarterback in 1972 and was even more successful in his execution of Walsh's complicated, versatile patterns, leading the Bengals to a division title in his first year as starting quarterback.

In 1975, he brought widespread recognition to the West Coast offense in a nationally televised Monday-night contest between the Bengals and the Buffalo Bills, whose offense was built around league-leading rusher O. J. Simpson. Anderson's 447 passing yards were enough to overshadow Simpson's 197 yards on the ground in a Bengals win that proved a milestone. At the end of the 1975 season, Bengals head coach Paul Brown retired and appointed Bill Johnson as his successor instead of Walsh.

Walsh resigned from the Bengals and left Cincinnati for the West Coast, taking along his films of Ken Anderson running his offensive schemes to serve as a teaching aid for quarterback Dan Fouts after Walsh had been hired as an assistant coach for the San Diego Chargers. He transformed the 49ers from a mediocre team to a perennial league powerhouse.

Did You Know?

• The term 'West Coast offense' may derive from a remark by New York Giants coach Bill Parcells after the Giants defeated the 49ers 17–3 in the 1985 NFL Playoffs.
• Bernie Kosar originally used the term to describe the Air Coryell system.
• Bill Walsh initially resisted the term and was especially incensed by the word 'finesse' being used to describe his schemes.
• Ken Anderson set what was then the record for completion percentage in a single season in 1982 at 70.66%.