Anthony Joseph Sparano III was an American football coach.
25 Facts About Tony Sparano
Tony Sparano served as the head coach of the Miami Dolphins and Oakland Raiders of the National Football League and is the only NFL head coach to have led a team to the playoffs the year following a one-win season, and only the second to conduct a ten-game turnaround, both of which he accomplished in his first season with the Dolphins.
Tony Sparano was the offensive line coach for the Minnesota Vikings from 2016 until his death in July 2018.
Tony Sparano was a four-year letterman for Division II University of New Haven, starting at center for the New Haven Chargers and graduating in 1982.
Tony Sparano began his coaching career at his alma mater, serving as New Haven's offensive line coach for four seasons before joining the staff at Division I-AA Boston University.
Tony Sparano was named New Haven's head coach in 1994, and led the Chargers to two playoff appearances in five seasons.
Tony Sparano was hired by new Dallas Cowboys coach Bill Parcells in 2003, rising from tight ends coach to assistant head coach in his five seasons in Dallas.
Tony Sparano was the offensive play-caller for Dallas in 2006, but ceded the responsibilities to new offensive coordinator Jason Garrett the following season.
The 10-win turnaround tied an NFL record and Tony Sparano finished one vote behind Atlanta Falcons first-year head coach Mike Smith in balloting for the AP Coach of the Year award.
At the time of the interview with Harbaugh, Tony Sparano was still the team's head coach.
However, on December 12,2011, hours after a week 14 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, Tony Sparano was fired; secondary coach Todd Bowles finished out the season.
Tony Sparano is to date, the last Dolphins head coach to lead them to a division title, an 11-win season, as well as their last head coach with prior head coaching experience.
On January 11,2012, Tony Sparano was hired as the new offensive coordinator for the New York Jets, signing a three-year deal.
Tony Sparano was fired on January 7,2013 after the Jets' offense performed extremely poorly, with an offense ranked 30th out of the 32 teams in the NFL.
On January 23,2013, Tony Sparano was hired to the dual roles of assistant head coach and offensive line coach by the Oakland Raiders.
Tony Sparano was expected to work closely with new offensive coordinator Greg Olson and head coach Dennis Allen to restore the angle-blocking scheme favored by star running back Darren McFadden, following the Raiders' disappointing 2012 offensive showing.
Tony Sparano was not retained under new head coach Jack Del Rio.
On January 22,2015, the San Francisco 49ers announced Tony Sparano would be their new tight ends coach under new head coach Jim Tomsula.
On January 13,2016, the Minnesota Vikings announced Tony Sparano would be their new offensive line coach.
Tony Sparano became known for wearing sunglasses, even during instances of relatively low lighting, due to an accident he suffered while working in a fast food restaurant at age 17 that damaged his eyesight and made sunglasses medically necessary.
Tony Sparano was a tireless volunteer for the West Haven Ray Tellier Midget Football league which is the RTMFL West Haven Pop Warner Football league.
Tony Sparano spent countless hours not only coaching West Haven youths, but shaping their futures in the best possible way.
Tony Sparano and his wife, Jeanette, had three children: sons Anthony Michael and Andrew both played college football at Albany, while daughter Ryan Leigh is a classically trained French pastry chef.
On July 19,2018, Tony Sparano was hospitalized in Eden Prairie, Minnesota after suffering from chest pains.
Tony Sparano was released the following day, but died two days later at the age of 56.