When Bill Walsh took over the head coaching job of the San Francisco 49ers in the late 1970s, the team was among the worst in the National Football League. In just a few years, Walsh transformed them into the dominant franchise of the 1980s and early 1990s. No wonder Walsh – who died at the age of 75 in late July – came to be called “the genius.”
The Irish-American coach, whose snow-white hair made him an instantly recognizable figure on the sidelines, won three Super Bowls during the 1980s with the 49ers, before retiring. The team went on to win two more Super Bowls using many of the same tactics and players Walsh had established.