George Gerald Seifert achieved unprecedented success as San Francisco 49ers head coach, winning two Super Bowl championships while compiling a franchise-record 98 victories and the NFL's second-highest winning percentage at the time of his resignation. Born January 22, 1940 in San Francisco, Seifert grew up across the street from Kezar Stadium, where he ushered at 49ers home games while attending San Francisco Polytechnic High School. At University of Utah, he played guard and linebacker for the Utes before beginning his coaching career.
After head coaching positions at Westminster College (3-3 in 1965) and Cornell University (3-15 in two seasons, fired in November 1976), Seifert returned to Stanford in 1977 where he met Bill Walsh. When Walsh moved to the 49ers in 1979, Seifert joined as defensive backs coach in 1980, earning promotion to defensive coordinator in 1983. Over six seasons, his defenses finished in the top ten in fewest points allowed every year, ranking first in 1984, second in 1985, and third in both 1986 and 1987. He earned three Super Bowl rings as Walsh's assistant.
On Seifert's 49th birthday, the 49ers won Super Bowl XXIII. Four days later on January 26, 1989, he succeeded Walsh as head coach despite owner Edward DeBartolo Jr.'s preference for a "name coach." Characterized by intense focus and superstitions—refusing to step on the 49ers helmet painted on practice turf, habitually blowing on Certs candies three times before chewing them, wearing lucky sweaters—Seifert's unassuming demeanor belied his coaching brilliance.
His 1989 debut produced a spectacular 14-2 record with Joe Montana earning MVP honors. In Super Bowl XXIV, the 49ers demolished Denver Broncos 55-10, the worst Super Bowl defeat in history, with that team considered one of the greatest ever. Seifert became the first rookie head coach to win the Super Bowl since Don McCafferty in 1970. Five years later, the 1994 49ers posted a 13-3 record and dominated San Diego Chargers 49-26 in Super Bowl XXIX as Steve Young threw six touchdown passes, cementing Seifert as one of only thirteen coaches with multiple Super Bowl victories.
Despite owning the NFL's best winning percentage among active coaches, the 49ers refused contract extension after consecutive playoff losses to Green Bay Packers. Seifert resigned in January 1997 rather than accept a lame-duck final season. His Carolina Panthers tenure (1999-2001) produced a disappointing 16-32 record including a franchise-worst 1-15 campaign in 2001, leading to his firing.
Seifert worked briefly as CBS Sports NFL Today panelist in 1998 but was removed before season's end. Inducted into the 49ers Hall of Fame in 2014, he resides in Bodega Bay, California and Incline Village, Nevada with wife Linda and their two children, Eve and Jason.
