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Baltimore Ravens: Ted Marchibroda, Franchise’s First Coach, Has Passed Away

By Joe Serpico

Oct 26, 2014; Cincinnati, OH, USA; Baltimore Ravens helmet on the sidelines against the Cincinnati Bengals at Paul Brown Stadium. Bengals defeated the Ravens 27-24. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Weber-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 26, 2014; Cincinnati, OH, USA; Baltimore Ravens helmet on the sidelines against the Cincinnati Bengals at Paul Brown Stadium. Bengals defeated the Ravens 27-24. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Weber-USA TODAY Sports /
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Ted Marchibroda, the former coach of the Baltimore Colts and Ravens, died at 84 on Saturday.

Baltimore lost one of the greatest coaches in history when we learned that Ted Marchibroda passed away on Saturday.

Marchibroda was the first head coach for the Ravens in 1996 and spent three seasons with the team, going 14-31-1, before being replaced by Brian Billick. Billick gets much of the credit for the Ravens winning the Super Bowl in 2000, but it was with a team that Marchibroda molded into being one of the most dominant defensive units in the history of football.

He also coached the Colts from 1975 to 1979, leading Baltimore to the playoffs in each of his first three season. His offense was one-of-a-kind at the time as the Colts led the league in yards and points in 1976, and quarterback Bert Jones was named the MVP that season. He was let go after back-to-back 5-11 seasons.

He also coached the Colts in Indianapolis from 1992 to 1995, before returning to Baltimore to coach the expansion Ravens.

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His career coaching record was 87-98-1 in 12 seasons.

Known for his coaching prowess, Marchibroda also was a good athlete. He played at St. Bonaventure and University of Detroit before he was drafted by his hometown Pittsburgh Steelers as a quarterback in 1953. He played four seasons in the NFL with the Steelers and the Chicago Cardinals, throwing for 16 touchdowns in 30 games

Marchibroda was an assistant for the Washington Redskins, Los Angeles Rams (weird for me to write), Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, Philadelphia Eagles and Buffalo Bills during his coaching career. He is credited with being an offensive mastermind that led to the modern day up-tempo offense.

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He leaves behind a pretty remarkable coaching tree that has fared well. Current New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick, Cincinnati Bengals coach Marvin Lewis, University of Iowa’s Kirk Ferentz, San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator Eric Mangini, Jim Schwartz and Ken Whisenhunt all served under Marchibroda.

He will forever be remembered in Baltimore. We wish his family the best in these troubling times.

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