Rival Coaches Can’t Get Involved With ‘Buddy-Buddy Things’

The games are played on the football field, but the drama unfolds on the sidelines at two NFL cities this weekend.

On the field at Washington today, the Redskins play host to the Chicago Bears. On the sidelines, it’s Norv Turner vs. Dave Wannstedt. Both have Super Bowl rings from the Cowboys: Turner as offensive coordinator in 1992-93 and Wannstedt as defensive coordinator in 1992. They’ll call a game against each other for the first time in their careers.

On the field at Green Bay on Monday night, the Packers play host to the Philadelphia Eagles. On the sidelines, it’s Mike Holmgren vs. Ray Rhodes. Both have Super Bowl rings from the 49ers: Holmgren as offensive coordinator in 1989 and Rhodes as defensive coordinator in 1994. It’ll also be the first time they call a game against each other in their careers.

Wannstedt left the Cowboys in 1993 to become head coach of the Bears, then Turner left in 1994 to become head coach of the Redskins.

Holmgren left the 49ers in 1992 to become head coach of the Packers and took Rhodes with him as defensive coordinator. Rhodes spent two seasons in Green Bay, then returned to San Francisco to coordinate the defense in 1994. The 49ers won the Super Bowl that season, then Rhodes left to become head coach of the Eagles.

Three of the four have tamed the monster - Turner defeated the Cowboys in his last two meetings in 1995; Holmgren defeated the 49ers in his only meeting against them last January in the playoffs; and Wannstedt whipped the Cowboys last Monday night in his first shot at them since leaving. Rhodes still awaits his first game with the 49ers.

Now they must prove they can beat each other. Wannstedt, for one, isn’t looking forward to today.

“You have friends in this business … then you have people that you’re very close to like Norv and Jimmy (Johnson),” he said. “It’s not easy playing them. But you try to put that aside. You focus on the Redskins and try to keep the personalities out of it.

“The good thing is we’re playing this one early. We can get on with the game and move on from there.”

Wannstedt coached with Turner at the University of Southern California in 1983-84. Turner moved on to the Los Angeles Rams in 1985 and Wannstedt to the Cowboys in 1989. When Johnson needed an offensive coordinator in 1991, Wannstedt recommended Turner for the job.

The two have been on opposite sides of an NFL field twice before and have split. In 1989-90, Wannstedt was the defensive coordinator of the Cowboys and Turner the receivers coach of the Rams. The Rams won in Dallas in 1989, and the Cowboys won in Anaheim in 1990. But Turner didn’t call the offensive plays in those games. He will today - and Wannstedt will be calling the defenses across from him.

It will be a trying afternoon for Turner. Not only is he competing against a good friend, he’ll be competing against his brother. Wannstedt hired Ron Turner, Norv’s younger brother, to be his offensive coordinator when he became Chicago’s coach.

Even though they are now head coaches, Holmgren continues to call the offensive plays and Rhodes the defensive alignments for their respective playoff teams.

“Ray is a good friend and has been a good friend for a long time,” Holmgren said. “He’s done a remarkable job there.”

But Rhodes has long since divorced himself from friendship, the Packers and the 49ers. “It’s business for me, going back to play a football game,” he said. “I don’t get caught up in the buddy-buddy things.”