Every ten years or so, a special group of guys rocks the NFL and every other team that plays them. These teams, called dynasties, have a lot more in common then you might think.
Here are a few similarities I noticed among the NFL's bonafide dynasties:
The Abyss: One of the more surprising traits I have noticed in regards to the progression of a dynasty is a long stretch of mediocrity shortly before the dominance inherent in a dynastic franchise.
For instance, in 1970, the Steelers went 1-13 and won the coin toss with Chicago that allowed them to pick QB Terry Bradshaw. Shortly thereafter, Bradshaw and the Steel Curtain put the "nasty" in dynasty. The first dynasty, the Packers of the late '60s, was also a terrible team before the hiring of Vince Lombardi. The Pack went 1-10-1 in 1958 under Ray Mclean with a team similar to the 13-1 1962 team coached by Lombardi.
One reason for this may be that such a long stretch of losing seasons gives a team great opportunities to stockpile talent. However, a losing team loses for a reason, so the draft isn't the only way that dynasties are built. A dynasty is seldom ever borne from a contender looking for the last piece of the puzzle either, sure, teams like this may win Super Bowls, but their longevity is limited.
The Visionary: Every dynasty also has a mainstay on their sidelines or in the front office to serve as the architect of the dynasty in question. This man is generally maligned as a maverick in his day and age and is looked down upon by his peers for his innovative practices.
One great example of a visionary is former Cowboys head man Jimmy Johnson. His love of small, speedy players like Alvin Harper, Deion "showtime" Sanders, and Darren Woodson was looked down upon by "experts" around the NFL. The paradigm of the time dictated that size was paramount for a winner, however, Johnson's speedsters blazed past their bigger counterparts on their way to four super bowls in the 1990s.
Johnson's contemporary, Bill Belichick, was maligned for a different reason, he was known to be a salty, cut to the chase guy who didn't let the players talk back, regardless of their talent. His decisions to cut Bernie Kosar and Lawyer Milloy were thought of as foolish when they were made, but Belichick's disciplinarian coaching style has brought him respect from even troubled egomaniacs like Randy Moss.
The Quarterback: This one is pretty self explanatory. No dynasty is complete without a leader taking snaps under center. There have been many great QBs in the NFL, but only a select few are capable of coming through under pressure Consistently.
Whether it was Bart Starr's chilling (pun intended) ice bowl victory over Dallas in 1967, Bradshaw's game winning 64 yard TD bomb in SB X, or Brady's last minute drive against St.Louis, not to mention Montana's numerous clutch moments, the QB almost always has a hand in his team's fortunes.
It may seem that these drives are only possible due to the teams around the quarterbacks. If that were true, the Browns would have made the Super Bowl at least three times with Bernie Kosar, and the Bills would have won at least one Super Bowl in the '80s and '90s.
4 comments Last one added about 1 year ago — Leave a Comment
Umer Waris about 1 year ago
Well written! Although, I think the Patriots would have further established their standings as a dynasty if only they had beat the Giants but nonetheless have been exceptionally well. You see a dynasty meets no rock on its way but rather continues to plunder & destroy all teams and always manages to win the big game. I like how Oakland was mentioned at the "Soon to become dynasty" list and I respect that coming from a Patriots fan. Yes, Oakland seems to be back on the rise and if Russell can live up to the prospect he is believed to be, you might see The Patriots having a potential AFC conference campionship rival besides just the Colts and Bolts. We will only know next season and I anxiously await the season-opener against Denver. Great read!
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Max Iascone about 1 year ago
I try to write objectively, plus i absolutely LOVE Al Davis... ballsiest man in the NFL. The Pats are a dyansty regardless of last year... your right though about SB XLII... had they won they would've been the greatest team ever (imo) regardless of spygate.
Oakland vs Denver will be hilarious... 35-17 you heard it here first
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Ken Sheehan about 1 year ago
Good article, but in my own opinion a team has to win a superbowl before it can even be considered for a potential dynasty. I agree that the talent is there in San Diego, I'm not so sold on Oakland, but the Chargers need better coaching. Over the last few years I've felt like the Chargers are like a college team that wins games because they're just more athletic than everyone else. When it comes to Oakland I think the first thing Al Davis needs to do is have one head coach for at least 3 years, that will be the first step towards getting back to the top. However I will say if he does stick with Kiffin, and Russell turns out to be the real deal Oakland could be a couple of drafts away from being a dominant team.
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Max Iascone about 1 year ago
I see your point, these are potential things i'm not making any predictions, I think Davis will stick with Kiffin and Russel has the physical tools you want in a good qb but as i said the jury is out on his clutch play.
Turner is the man there for better or worse in SD (probably worse) but they're a young team and as the sox showed in '03 no matter how much your manager/coach sucks, players can keep their teams in it, and turner may be bad but he's no Grady Little
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