Editing Forrest Gregg (section)

==Coaching career==
After serving as an assistant with the [[1973 San Diego Chargers season|San Diego Chargers]] in 1973, he took a similar position the following year with the [[1974 Cleveland Browns season|Browns]].  After head coach [[Nick Skorich]] was dismissed after the 1974 season, Gregg was promoted to head coach in [[1975 Cleveland Browns season|1975]], a position he held through [[1977 Cleveland Browns season|1977]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Shook |first1=Nick |title=Pro Football Hall of Famer, former Browns coach Forrest Gregg passes away at 85 |url=https://www.clevelandbrowns.com/news/pro-football-hall-of-famer-former-browns-coach-forrest-gregg-passes-away-at-85 |website=clevelandbrowns.com |publisher=Cleveland Browns |access-date=December 28, 2019}}</ref> According to [[Dave Logan (American football)|Dave Logan]], safety [[Thom Darden]] and Gregg once had a fist fight after a game.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/254351431|url-access=subscription|id={{ProQuest|254351431}}|title=BROWNS NOTEBOOK; SILVER LINING: JOHNSON AWAKENS DURING DRUBBING: [CITY Edition]|work=[[Dayton Daily News]]|author=McClelland, Sean|accessdate=April 8, 2024|date=October 16, 2000|page=5D|quote=Logan, who broke in with the Browns in 1976, said one of his lasting memories involves a postgame fistfight between his first head coach, Forrest Gregg, and safety Thom Darden.}}</ref> Darden has explained that the [[1977 Cleveland Browns season|1977 Cleveland Browns]] did not respond to Gregg's coaching style, which contributed to his firing with one game remaining.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://infoweb.newsbank.com/apps/news/document-view?p=NewsBank&t=&sort=YMD_date%3AD&fld-base-0=alltext&maxresults=20&val-base-0=%22Thom%20Darden%22%20%22Forrest%20Gregg%22&docref=news/0EB6D83BC410D2F3|title=IN GREGG'S CASE, THE SPY CAME IN FROM THE HALL - BROWNS COACH UNCOVERS MODELL'S AGENT, THEN IS FIRED|accessdate=April 8, 2024|date=August 25, 1999|work=[[Akron Beacon Journal]]|author=Butler, Jason|page=C1|quote=As the season went on, the team didn't respond well to the way Gregg pushed. Cliques formed, as players' differences polarized the locker room and broke down the team chemistry. "It was tough going to practice," said defensive back Thom Darden. "It was not a good working environment. You could cut the tension with a knife when we were in practice."}}</ref> In 1977, Darden was one of the vocal dissidents that led to the ouster of Gregg as [[List of Cleveland Browns head coaches|head coach of the Cleveland Browns]].<ref name=TCC>{{cite web|url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/424024679|url-access=subscription|id={{ProQuest|424024679}}|title=The Cardiac Champions|work=[[The New York Times]]|author=Anderson, Dave|accessdate=April 6, 2024|date=December 22, 1980|page=C.1|quote=}}</ref>

After sitting out the 1978 season, Gregg returned to coaching in 1979 with the Canadian Football League's [[1979 Toronto Argonauts season|Toronto Argonauts]].  In [[1980 Cincinnati Bengals season|1980]], he became the head coach of the Cincinnati Bengals for four seasons through [[1983 Cincinnati Bengals season|1983]]. His most successful season as a head coach was in [[1981 Cincinnati Bengals season|1981]], when he led the Bengals to a 12&ndash;4 regular season record.<ref name=kotfst>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=i-AjAAAAIBAJ&sjid=LyoEAAAAIBAJ&pg=7014%2C2606174 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305142441/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=i-AjAAAAIBAJ&sjid=LyoEAAAAIBAJ&pg=7014%2C2606174 |url-status=dead |archive-date=March 5, 2016 |newspaper=Milwaukee Journal |last=Van Sickle |first=Gary |title=King of the Forrest |date=January 17, 1982 |page=3, sports }}</ref> They defeated the [[1981 San Diego Chargers season|San Diego Chargers]] 27&ndash;7 in the AFC championship game (known as the [[Freezer Bowl]]),<ref name=bahoacd>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=heAjAAAAIBAJ&sjid=LyoEAAAAIBAJ&pg=3671%2C168991 |newspaper=Milwaukee Journal |last=Van Sickle |first=Gary |title=Bengals are hot on a cold day |date=January 11, 1982 |page=1, part 3 |access-date=January 25, 2016 |archive-date=March 5, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305143743/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=heAjAAAAIBAJ&sjid=LyoEAAAAIBAJ&pg=3671,168991 |url-status=dead }}</ref> earning them a trip to [[Super Bowl XVI]], where they lost to the [[1981 San Francisco 49ers season|San Francisco 49ers]], 26&ndash;21.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Attner |first1=Paul |title=49ers Stifle Bengals Late to Win, 26-21 |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/sports/nfl/longterm/superbowl/stories/sb16.htm |newspaper=Washington Post |publisher=WP Company, LLC |access-date=December 28, 2019}}</ref>

When his longtime former teammate [[Bart Starr]] was fired after nine years as head coach of the Packers in December [[1983 Green Bay Packers season|1983]], Gregg was allowed out of his Bengals' contract to take over in Green Bay.<ref name=gsps>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=I24aAAAAIBAJ&sjid=BioEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6810%2C2030997 |newspaper=Milwaukee Journal |last=Salituro |first=Chuck |title=Gregg shortened Parins' search |date=December 25, 1983 |page=1, sports }}</ref> He finished his NFL coaching career with the Packers, leading them for four seasons, [[1984 Green Bay Packers season|1984]]–[[1987 Green Bay Packers season|1987]], with a record of 25–37–1. Gregg's overall record as an NFL coach was 75 wins, 85 losses and one tie.  He was also 2–2 in playoff games, all with the Bengals.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/coaches/GregFo0.htm|title = Forrest Gregg Record, Statistics, and Category Ranks|website = [[Pro-Football-Reference.com]]}}</ref> He is one of only two coaches, the other being [[Marvin Lewis]], to have left the Bengals with a winning record.

Gregg resigned from the Packers in January 1988 and took a pay cut to take over at SMU, his alma mater.<ref name=threbs>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=cGgaAAAAIBAJ&sjid=ryoEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6431%2C5331720 |newspaper=Milwaukee Journal |last=Perkins |first=Eddie |title=The rebuilding starts for SMU, Packers |date=January 15, 1988 |page=1C }}</ref><ref name=fgetrmus>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=g7YmAAAAIBAJ&sjid=uqUEAAAAIBAJ&pg=3313%2C3102488 |newspaper=Tuscaloosa News |agency=Associated Press |title=Forrest Gregg eager to resurrect Mustangs |date=January 15, 1988 |page=15 }}</ref> He was brought in to revive the Mustang football program after it received the "[[Death penalty (NCAA)|death penalty]]" from the NCAA for [[Southern Methodist University football scandal|massive violations of NCAA rules]].<ref name=fgetrmus/> Though the NCAA had only canceled the 1987 season, school officials later opted to cancel the 1988 season due to fears that fielding a competitive team would be impossible; nearly every letterman from the [[1986 SMU Mustangs football team|1986]] squad had transferred elsewhere.<ref>Frank, Peter.  "'88 football season canceled by SMU."  ''[[The New York Times]]'', April 11, 1987.</ref> Gregg knew that any new coach would be essentially rebuilding the program from scratch, but when acting president William Stalcup asked him to return, he felt he could not refuse.<ref name="drape20120801">{{cite news | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/01/sports/ncaafootball/forrest-gregg-who-revived-smu-football-looks-back-with-pride.html | title=Coach Who Revived S.M.U. Looks Back With Pride | work=The New York Times | date=August 1, 2012 | access-date=April 26, 2013 | author=Drape, Joe | pages=B20}}</ref>

As it turned out, when Gregg arrived, he was presented with a severely undersized and underweight roster composed mostly of freshmen. Gregg was taller and heavier than nearly the entire 70-man squad. The team was so short on offensive linemen that Gregg had to make several wide receivers bulk up and switch to the line. By nearly all accounts, it would have been unthinkable for the Mustangs to return for the 1988 season under such conditions.<ref>Woodbury, Richard. [https://web.archive.org/web/20090911075805/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,968906,00.html Rebuilding a Shattered Team]. ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]'', November 4, 1988.</ref>
  
In [[1989 SMU Mustangs football team|1989]], the Mustangs went 2–9, including a 95–21 thrashing by [[1989 Houston Cougars football team|Houston]]—the second-worst loss in school history. In that game, eventual [[Heisman Trophy]] winner [[Andre Ware]] threw six touchdown passes in the first half, and [[David Klingler]] added four more in the second, even with the game long out of reach.  Gregg was so disgusted that he refused to shake Houston coach [[Jack Pardee]]'s hand after the game.<ref name="drago19960811">{{cite news | url=https://archive.seattletimes.com/archive/19960811/2343737/death-penalty-still-hurts-smu | title='Death Penalty' Still Hurts SMU | work=The Seattle Times | date=August 11, 1996 | agency=Associated Press | access-date=April 26, 2013 | author=Drago, Mike | archive-date=January 15, 2015 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150115035853/http://community.seattletimes.nwsource.com/archive/?date=19960811&slug=2343737 | url-status=live }}</ref>  Nonetheless, Gregg reflected fondly on the experience. In a 2012 interview with ''[[The New York Times]]'', he said the players on the two teams he coached should have had their numbers retired for restoring dignity to the program. "I never coached a group of kids that had more courage," he said. "They thought that they could play with anyone. They were quality people. It was one of the most pleasurable experiences in my football life. Period."<ref name="drape20120801"/>

After the season, Gregg was named SMU's athletic director. The Mustangs went 1–10 in [[1990 SMU Mustangs football team|1990]], and after the season, he resigned as coach to focus on his duties as athletic director. Gregg's coaching record at SMU was 3–19,<ref>{{cite web |title=Forrest Gregg Coaching Record |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/coaches/forrest-gregg-1.html |website=sports-reference.com |publisher=SportsReference, LLC |access-date=December 28, 2019}}</ref> and he served as athletic director until 1994.<ref>{{cite web |title=SMU Remembers Forrest Gregg '56 |url=https://www.smu.edu/News/2019/SMU-Remembers-Forrest-Gregg |website=smu.edu |publisher=Southern Methodist University |access-date=December 28, 2019}}</ref>

He returned to the CFL with the [[Shreveport Pirates]] in 1994–95, during that league's [[Canadian Football League in the United States|brief attempt at expansion]] to the [[United States]]. His overall record in the CFL was 13–39.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Blevins |first1=David |title=The Sports Hall of Fame Encyclopedia: Baseball, Basketball, Football, Hockey, Soccer, Volume 1 |date=2012 |publisher=Rowman & Littlefield |page=382}}</ref>

When former Shreveport Pirates owner [[Bernard Glieberman]] bought a stake in the [[Ottawa Renegades]] in May 2005, Gregg was appointed Ottawa's vice president of football operations, a position he held through 2006.<ref>{{cite web |title=Forrest Gregg, a former CFL coach and ex-lineman for the Packers, dead at 85 |url=https://ottawacitizen.com/sports/football/cfl/ex-cfl-coach-forrest-gregg-lineman-for-packers-dies-at-85/wcm/a657cdee-eb51-4f91-a530-774202501c90 |website=Ottawa Citizen|access-date=December 29, 2019}}</ref>