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Gil Haskell
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‹ The template Infobox gridiron football biography is being considered for merging. ›

Gil Haskell (born September 24, 1943) is an American former football coach. A longtime assistant coach in the National Football League (NFL), he served as the offensive coordinator for the Seattle Seahawks from 2000 to 2008. He began his career in the NFL as a ball boy with the San Francisco 49ers while his uncle, William O'Grady, was a part owner of the franchise. Haskell grew up in St. Brendan's Parish in San Francisco and graduated from St. Ignatius College Preparatory in 1961. He played college football at San Francisco State University where he graduated from in 1966. He then coached football and track and field at both Archbishop Riordan High School from 1966 to 1968 and St. Ignatius from 1969 to 1977 where he was head coach of the football team.[1] Haskell was later recognized by the San Francisco Prep Hall of Fame for his coaching contributions at both schools in 2018.[2] Haskell then left for University of Southern California (USC), spending five seasons there as an assistant coach. He broke into the NFL as a coach in 1983 with the Los Angeles Rams, coaching special teams, running backs and tight ends for nine seasons. In 1992, he joined the Green Bay Packers where he became part of Mike Holmgren's staff for the first time as a running back coach and wide receiver coach. When Holmgren left Green Bay for the Seattle Seahawks in 1998, Haskell accepted the offensive coordinator position with the Carolina Panthers. In 2000, he reunited with Holmgren in Seattle in the same role. He has indicated that he would like to be a head coach in the NFL and even launched a low key campaign for the Oakland Raiders position when the Raiders fired Norv Turner after the 2005 season.[3] That position was eventually filled with the hiring of Art Shell.

Key Information

On February 10, 2010, the Cleveland Browns announced that Haskell as the senior advisor to president Mike Holmgren.

Haskell and his late wife, Nancy, have four daughters: Paula, Patty, Jenny and Julie.[citation needed]

NFC Championship Game injury

[edit]

In the 1995 NFC Championship game between the Packers and the Dallas Cowboys, Haskell was involved in a sideline collision where he was knocked backward and hit the back of his head against the carpet-covered concrete sideline of Dallas' Texas Stadium. Haskell was unresponsive for five minutes before he started to move, and was carted off in an ambulance. The impact of Haskell's head was enough to fracture the back of his skull and cause a contusion in the front of his brain. He was able to fully recover and was discharged from the hospital after less than 2 weeks.[4]

References

[edit]
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Gil Haskell

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''Gil Haskell'' is an American former football coach known for his extensive career in the National Football League, most notably as the offensive coordinator for the Seattle Seahawks from 2000 to 2008 and as an assistant coach with the Green Bay Packers during their Super Bowl XXXI championship season. Born on September 24, 1943, in San Francisco, California, Haskell built a reputation as a respected offensive mind over more than two decades in the league, contributing to successful teams and mentoring notable players. Haskell began his coaching journey at the high school level in San Francisco after graduating from St. Ignatius College Preparatory in 1961, later serving as an assistant at the University of Southern California from 1978 to 1982, where he helped win two Rose Bowls. He entered the NFL with the Los Angeles Rams in 1983, spending nine seasons in roles including special teams coach and running backs coach under head coach John Robinson, during which he worked with Pro Football Hall of Famer Eric Dickerson. From 1992 to 1997, Haskell was an assistant with the Green Bay Packers under Mike Holmgren, first as running backs coach and then as wide receivers coach, helping the team capture Super Bowl XXXI in 1997. He advanced to offensive coordinator roles with the Carolina Panthers from 1998 to 1999 before joining the Seattle Seahawks in 2000, where he held the position for nine seasons and added the assistant head coach title later in his tenure; his Seahawks offense led the NFL in points scored in 2005, with running back Shaun Alexander earning league MVP honors, and guided the team to Super Bowl XL. Haskell concluded his NFL career as a senior advisor with the Cleveland Browns from 2010 to 2013. In recognition of his contributions to Bay Area football and his professional achievements, he was inducted into the San Francisco Prep Hall of Fame in 2018.

Early life

Birth and family background

Gil Haskell was born on September 24, 1943, in San Francisco, California. He grew up in San Francisco, where his uncle, Dr. William O'Grady, was a 5% owner of the San Francisco 49ers and served as the team's physician. This family connection gave Haskell early and direct exposure to professional football. From a young age he was on the sideline at games and assisted with tasks around the practice facility, working with the equipment man and helping in other capacities. He later recalled, "I was always at the games, on the sideline, from the time I was a little kid." Starting at age 8, Haskell performed chores for the team such as picking up clothes off the locker room floor every Sunday, and he remained involved with the 49ers organization for 22 years. His youth spent around the 49ers through this uncle's involvement provided formative personal connections to the sport that influenced his eventual path into coaching.

Education and early influences

Gil Haskell graduated from St. Ignatius College Preparatory in San Francisco in 1961. He went on to play college football as a member of the San Francisco State Gators at San Francisco State University, where he earned his degree in 1966. His time playing at the collegiate level provided foundational experience in the sport before transitioning to coaching, though specific playing achievements from that period are not widely documented in available sources.

Early coaching career

High school coaching

Gil Haskell began his coaching career at the high school level after graduating from San Francisco State University in 1966. He coached football and track and field at Archbishop Riordan High School from 1966 to 1968, where his teams won a conference championship in football during his first year and secured Catholic Championships in track in two of the three years he coached the sport. Haskell then joined St. Ignatius College Preparatory from 1969 to 1977, again coaching both football and track and field. He spent four years as an assistant football coach and track coach, during which his track teams won three championships, before serving as head football coach for five years with a 34-13 record. For his contributions to football and track and field at both Archbishop Riordan and St. Ignatius, Haskell was inducted into the San Francisco Prep Hall of Fame in 2018.

College coaching

Gil Haskell served as an assistant coach for the USC Trojans football team from 1978 to 1982. This tenure followed his earlier role as head coach at St. Ignatius High School in San Francisco, where he first encountered future NFL colleague Mike Holmgren. During these five seasons, Haskell was part of the Trojans' coaching staff in major college football prior to entering the NFL.

NFL coaching career

Los Angeles Rams (1983–1991)

Gil Haskell began his NFL coaching career with the Los Angeles Rams in 1983, serving as special teams coach through the 1986 season. He transitioned to running backs coach in 1987 and held that position through 1990. In 1991, his final season with the Rams, he coached both special teams and tight ends. Haskell's nine-year tenure with the Rams included several seasons with playoff appearances by the team, including in 1984, 1985, 1986, 1988, and 1989. His early years focused on special teams coordination, followed by work with the running backs unit during a period of roster transitions and competitive NFC play. He concluded his Rams stint by resuming special teams duties while adding tight ends coaching responsibilities.

Green Bay Packers (1992–1997)

Gil Haskell joined the Green Bay Packers on January 27, 1992, as running backs coach under head coach Mike Holmgren. He held this position through the 1994 season. During this time, Edgar Bennett led the team with nine rushing touchdowns in 1993, the most by a Packer since 1982, and recorded 78 receptions in 1994, the second-highest single-season total in team history at that point. The Packers running backs group also increased its total receptions from 84 in 1993 to 127 in 1994. In February 1995, Haskell transitioned to wide receivers coach, a role he maintained through the 1997 season. In his first year at the position, Robert Brooks set a new team record for single-season receiving yards and became only the second Packers receiver to reach 100 receptions in a season. In 1996, Antonio Freeman led the team with 56 receptions in his second NFL season. During the 1995 NFC Championship Game on January 14, 1996, Haskell suffered a serious sideline injury after being knocked backward by colliding players and striking his head on the turf with 5:14 remaining in the first half against the Dallas Cowboys. He was serving as wide receivers coach at the time. Haskell was a member of the Packers coaching staff that won Super Bowl XXXI following the 1996 season.

Carolina Panthers (1998–1999)

Gil Haskell served as the offensive coordinator for the Carolina Panthers from 1998 to 1999. In 1998, under head coach Dom Capers, the Panthers finished with a 4-12 record and did not qualify for the playoffs. The offense scored 336 points (21.0 per game), ranking 12th in the NFL, while accumulating 4,780 total yards (20th), including 3,322 passing yards (14th) and a league-low 28th-ranked 1,458 rushing yards. In 1999, with George Seifert as head coach, the team improved to an 8-8 record but again missed the playoffs. The offense advanced significantly, ranking fourth in scoring with 421 points (26.3 per game) and sixth in total yards with 5,686, driven primarily by a strong passing attack that finished second in the league with 4,161 yards and 36 passing touchdowns. The rushing game remained below average, ranking 20th with 1,525 yards.

Seattle Seahawks (2000–2008)

Gil Haskell was hired as the offensive coordinator of the Seattle Seahawks on January 20, 2000, reuniting him with head coach Mike Holmgren, with whom he had previously worked for six seasons with the Green Bay Packers from 1992 to 1997. This appointment followed his two-year stint as offensive coordinator with the Carolina Panthers from 1998 to 1999. During his nine-season tenure from 2000 to 2008, Haskell primarily served as offensive coordinator, with the role later expanded to assistant head coach/offensive coordinator in his final years. The Seahawks posted a 77-67 regular-season record under his direction, secured five playoff berths, and compiled a 4-5 postseason record. The offense achieved strong performances in several seasons, including top-10 rankings in total yards in 2002 (7th), 2003 (6th), and 2004 (8th), contributing to consistent competitiveness in the NFC West. The pinnacle of Haskell's time in Seattle came in 2005, when the Seahawks finished 13-3, captured the NFC Championship, and advanced to Super Bowl XL—the first Super Bowl appearance in franchise history—though they lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers. That season, the Seahawks' offense ranked second in the NFL overall, first in points scored, and second in total yards, bolstered by a dominant rushing attack that led the league in rushing touchdowns and ranked third in rushing yards. Haskell coached running back Shaun Alexander to the NFL Most Valuable Player award and AP Offensive Player of the Year honors. The unit maintained solid output in 2007 (9th in total yards and points) before declining sharply in 2008, when the team finished 4-12 amid poor offensive rankings. Haskell's long tenure represented the Seahawks' most sustained offensive leadership during the Holmgren era, marked by a peak in 2005 that established the franchise's early Super Bowl presence.

Cleveland Browns (2010–2013)

Gil Haskell served as senior advisor to Cleveland Browns president Mike Holmgren from 2010 to 2013. This front-office role marked a continuation of his long professional relationship with Holmgren, having previously collaborated with him in Green Bay and Seattle. Haskell was hired in January 2010 shortly after Holmgren assumed the presidency, providing advisory support on football operations without any active coaching responsibilities.

Personal life

Family

Gil Haskell was married to Nancy Haskell until her death in 2012 following a battle with cancer. Nancy, who had previously been married to Paul Van Acker and raised two daughters as a single mother, met Haskell while working for the owner of the Los Angeles Rams where he served as a coach. Haskell and Nancy had four daughters: Paula, Patty, Jenny, and Julie. The family also included four granddaughters at the time of Nancy's passing.

1995 sideline injury

During the NFC Championship Game on January 14, 1996, between the Green Bay Packers and the Dallas Cowboys at Texas Stadium, wide receivers coach Gil Haskell suffered a serious sideline injury. Late in the first half, Cowboys safety Darren Woodson blocked Packers flanker Robert Brooks out of bounds, driving Brooks into Haskell and causing him to fall backward. Haskell's head struck the artificial turf, resulting in a fractured skull and bruised brain. Play stopped for several minutes while Haskell was placed on a stretcher and transported by ambulance to Baylor University Medical Center, where he was accompanied by his wife Nancy. He appeared conscious when leaving the field but was admitted in serious condition and placed in the neurological intensive care unit. By January 15 and 16, doctors reported very encouraging progress, noting improved neurological function, mental status, and responsiveness; Haskell was alert but disoriented, breathing on his own with no evidence of neck injury, though concerns remained about potential brain injury effects that would take time to fully assess. Team physicians anticipated a good recovery. Four weeks later, by mid-February 1996, Haskell had returned to work with the Packers and attended the NFL scouting combine, where he participated fully in observing workouts. He exhibited no signs of his injuries, described himself as feeling very good and no different than before the incident, and displayed his typical gregarious demeanor during a 45-minute interview. Haskell had little memory of the collision itself, recalling only seeing Brooks go by and looking at his play sheet before the impact. He acknowledged the injury's seriousness only from what others told him, noting his first instinct in the ambulance had been to return to the field.

Legacy

Honors and recognition

Gil Haskell was inducted into the San Francisco Prep Hall of Fame in 2018 for his contributions to high school coaching in football. The honor, part of the 36th annual class, specifically recognized his tenure as a coach at Archbishop Riordan High School from 1966 to 1968 and at St. Ignatius College Preparatory from 1969 to 1977. The induction ceremony took place on May 19, 2018. Haskell also earned recognition as a member of the Green Bay Packers coaching staff that won Super Bowl XXXI following the 1996 season, where he served as wide receivers coach under head coach Mike Holmgren. His long tenure as an NFL assistant coach included serving as offensive coordinator under Holmgren with the Seattle Seahawks. These achievements highlight his impact across high school and professional levels of the sport.

References

  1. https://www.pro-football-reference.com/coaches/HaskGi0.htm
  2. https://www.sfgate.com/sports/article/Gil-Haskell-headlines-S-F-Prep-Hall-of-Fame-12537987.php
  3. https://families.siprep.org/uploaded/athletics/2020-2021/Gil_Haskell_Web_Page.pdf
  4. https://pro-football-history.com/coach/1092/gil-haskell-bio
  5. https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1985-12-05-sp-739-story.html
  6. https://www.goupstate.com/story/news/1998/09/27/haskell-lives-charmed-life-these-days/29604218007/
  7. https://sfstategators.com/news/2018/1/31/general-sf-state-hall-of-famer-gil-haskell-to-be-inducted-into-san-francisco-prep-hall-of-fame.aspx
  8. https://goldengatexpress.org/81448/sports/super-bowl-coach-back-to-sf-beginnings/
  9. https://sfprephalloffame.org/members/
  10. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/haskell-hired-by-seahawks/
  11. https://www.cantonrep.com/story/sports/pro/browns/2010/07/23/gil-haskell-is-browns-adviser/42168408007/
  12. https://library.sfo2.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/publications/football/yearbooks/FGBAYMG-1997-green-bay-packers-media-guide.pdf
  13. https://www.upi.com/Archives/1996/01/14/Packers-coach-hospitalized-after-collision/7778821595600/
  14. https://pro-football-history.com/franchpos/26/7/carolina-panthers-offensive-coordinator-history
  15. https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/car/1998.htm
  16. https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/car/1999.htm
  17. https://pro-football-history.com/franchpos/24/7/seattle-seahawks-offensive-coordinator-history
  18. https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/latimes/name/nancy-haskell-obituary?id=19871197
  19. https://www.spokesman.com/stories/1996/jan/16/injured-coach-of-the-packers-shows-progress/
  20. https://www.deseret.com/1996/2/13/19224716/packer-coach-much-improved-after-big-scare/
  21. https://www.nytimes.com/1996/01/16/sports/n-f-l-conference-championship-packer-coach-is-improving.html
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