Mike Holmgren

Biography

Mike Holmgren revolutionized NFL franchises through his mastery of the West Coast offense and exceptional ability to develop Hall of Fame quarterbacks. Born on June 15, 1948, in San Francisco, California, Holmgren attended Abraham Lincoln High School, where he starred as a tight end before becoming a standout quarterback and punter, earning the 1965 Prep Athlete of the Year honors. He played quarterback at the University of Southern California (1966-1969), earning a spot on USC's 1967 national championship team as a backup behind starter Steve Sogge. Selected in the eighth round (201st overall) by the St. Louis Cardinals in the 1970 NFL draft, the 6-foot-5, 245-pound Holmgren attended camp with both the Cardinals and the New York Jets but never played professionally. Holmgren's coaching career began at Abraham Lincoln High School in 1971, then moved through Sacred Heart Cathedral Preparatory and Oak Grove High School in San Jose, where he won a Central Coast Section championship. He coached at San Francisco State (1981) before serving as a quarterbacks coach at BYU (1982-1985), mentoring Steve Young and future head coach Andy Reid while helping the Cougars win the 1984 national championship. Joining the San Francisco 49ers as a quarterbacks coach (1986-1988) under Bill Walsh, Holmgren worked with Joe Montana and Steve Young, later becoming the offensive coordinator (1989-1991) under George Seifert. The 49ers won Super Bowls XXIII and XXIV during his tenure, with Montana winning two MVP awards under Holmgren's direction in 1989 and 1990. As the head coach of the Green Bay Packers (1992-1998), Holmgren posted a remarkable 75-37 regular season record (.670 winning percentage) and never had a losing season. He transformed a franchise that had experienced just two winning seasons in the previous 19 years into perennial contenders, reaching six consecutive playoffs (1993-1998) and winning at least one playoff game in five consecutive postseasons (1993-1997). He led the Seahawks (1999-2008) to an 86-74 record with five division titles and the franchise's first Super Bowl appearance. His greatest moments showcased championship excellence: Super Bowl XXXI—After posting a dominant 13-3 regular season record in 1996, Holmgren led the Packers to a 35-21 victory over the New England Patriots on January 26, 1997, in New Orleans, delivering Green Bay's first championship in 29 years and the franchise's twelfth overall league title. The victory capped a remarkable turnaround and established the Packers as the dominant NFC team of the mid-1990s; the 2005 season with Seattle—posting a franchise-best 13-3 record with 11 consecutive wins, coaching Shaun Alexander to the NFL MVP and leading the Seahawks to their first Super Bowl appearance; Becoming one of only five coaches to take two different franchises to the Super Bowl, and the first coach in NFL history to record 75 or more wins with two different franchises. Following his coaching career, Holmgren served as the Cleveland Browns team president (2010-2012) before becoming a radio analyst for Seattle's Sports Radio KJR and a color analyst for Westwood One's Super Bowl broadcasts. He was inducted into the Seahawks Ring of Honor in 2021 and named a Pro Football Hall of Fame coaching finalist in 2024.