Mike McCarthy (American football)
Michael John "Mike" McCarthy ( born November 10, 1963 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania) is an American professional American football coach. Since 2006 he has been head coach of the Green Bay Packers in the National Football League ( NFL).
Private life
McCarthy spent the first years of his life in his hometown of Pittsburgh. His father became active as the fireman and the police. Later he ran a pub. McCarthy married Jessica Kress 2008 at a private ceremony in Maricopa County, Arizona. Together they have two daughters, Gabrielle and Isabella Kathleen Conroy. McCarthy also has a daughter, Alexandra, from a previous marriage.
Career as a player
In his youth, Mike McCarthy played on the position of tight ends at Baker University in Baldwin City, Kansas.
Career as a coach
College
1988 McCarthy returned after working as an assistant at Fort Hays State to Pittsburgh, where he as a quarterback coach under Paul Hackett worked at the University of Pittsburgh in 1989. In 1992 he took over the post of coach of the wide receivers. In the offseason, he stayed with side jobs afloat.
Time as an Assistant Coach in the NFL
1993 McCarthy was "offensive quality control assistant" at the Kansas City Chiefs before he ascended to the quarterback coach after two years. He coached among others Rich Gannon, Elvis Grbac and Steve Bono. 1999 hired the current head coach of the Green Bay Packers for the first time in "Title Town" in order to train there also on the position of quarterback coaches Brett Favre. This season, Favre threw passes for 4091 yards, the four best performance of his career.
After the Packers sacked the entire coaching staff in the wake of the 1999 season, McCarthy worked as offensive coordinator ( coach for the offense ) at the New Orleans Saints. There he remained for five years and was elected in 2000 by USA Today for " NFC Assistant Coach of the Year."
In his last year before his return to Green Bay McCarthy worked as 49ers offensive coordinator in San Francisco. Due to many injuries and a rookie quarterback (Alex Smith), the team scored the fewest points and earned the least space gain.
Head coach in Green Bay
On January 8, 2006 McCarthy was interviewed by general manager Ted Thompson and got three days later offered the post as head coach.
In his first year as head coach of the Packers finished the season with a record of 8-8, where they, inter alia, decided the last four games against the Chicago Bears for themselves. For the play-offs but this was not enough.
In the 2007 season, McCarthy led the Packers to a 13-3 record and made it to the NFC Championship Game, where they lost to the later Super Bowl winners, the New York Giants, in the extension. He signed on 19 January 2008, five- year contract. His salary rose to $ 3.4 million per year.
The year 2008 was marked by the debate about the future of franchise quarterback Brett Favre. The trigger was the " international retirement " of the # 4 of the Packers. At this time, McCarthy and general manager Ted Thompson, however, had already decided to put on the still young and unknown quarterback Aaron Rodgers. Favre was traded Jets for a fourth -round draft pick to the New York.
Sporty season was the worst of the McCarthy era. Despite a robust presentation of Rodgers, who threw for more than 4,000 yards and a 93.8 quarterback rating recorded, the Packers lost ten of the 16 season games. However, the conclusion they defeated the Detroit Lions, which in turn ended their season with a 0-16 record. The Packers were finished third in the NFC North and missed the play-offs.
In the following season the Packers showed some progress, but also revealed problems. So Aaron Rodgers improved his stats compared to the previous season, but had to take even 50 Sacks, league maximum. In addition, the Packers won, although against teams with a negative balance, but lost both games against the Minnesota Vikings with Brett Favre. It also lost against the so far winless Tampa Bay Buccaneers, hit the following week, however, the Dallas Cowboys. This was followed by five wins in a row and the Packers have qualified with a win in Week 16 against the Seattle Seahawks for the 2nd time with McCarthy for the play- offs. However, the Packers lost the wildcard game against the Arizona Cardinals with 45-51 in extra time.
In 2010, McCarthy led the Packers to a 10-6 season and never lost more than four points difference. This was enough to slide behind the Bears in second place in the play-offs. The Packers beat then successively the Philadelphia Eagles, Atlanta Falcons and the Chicago Bears, who all had home advantage. The Super Bowl XLV against the Pittsburgh Steelers decided the Packers on February 3, 2011, 31-25 for itself and consequently won the 13th title of her club's history.
On March 4, 2011 Mike McCarthy extended his contract for another three years.