Clive Rush

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Clive Rush (February 14, 1931 - August 22, 1980) was a football coach at both the professional and collegiate levels, but may be best remembered as head coach of the Boston Patriots during the 1969 American Football League season and the 1970 NFL season.

Rush played college football at Miami University, then competed for one season in the National Football League with the Green Bay Packers in 1953. From there, Rush received a strong coaching education, with collegiate stints at the University of Dayton (under Hugh Devore), Ohio State University (under Woody Hayes), and the University of Oklahoma (under Bud Wilkinson). In 1960, he accepted the head coaching position at the University of Toledo, but left after three losing seasons.

Rush then became an assistant with the New York Jets in 1963, serving as the main architect of the team's high-powered offense that was later led by Joe Namath. As offensive coordinator, he reached the high point of his career when he mapped the Jets' game plan as they upset the Baltimore Colts in Super Bowl III on January 12, 1969. That success resulted in his hiring by the Patriots 18 days later.

His tenure with the Patriots would be marked by constant conflict with players, owners, league officials and the media. One bizarre indication of Rush's luck came on February 12, 1969, when he introduced the team's new general manager, George Sauer, Sr. While grabbing the microphone, Rush received a five-second electrical shock that left him briefly stunned.

That shock would continue during his 21 games as Patriots' head coach, as he would only be on the winning side in five of those contests. During the team's sixth straight loss of the 1970 NFL season, a 45-10 defeat to the Buffalo Bills on November 1, 1970, Rush began to suffer an irregular heartbeat and briefly left the stadium. Two days later, he resigned the head coaching position, citing health reasons and saying he would never coach again.

However, in March 1971, he was hired by George Allen, who had recently taken the helm of the Washington Redskins. Just six weeks later, Rush abruptly resigned and was out of football for the next five years.

Rush resurfaced as the head coach of the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy in 1976, but after leading the team to an 8-1 record, he was dismissed on November 23 after complaints from players.

Never again coaching, Rush went on to run a car dealership in Springfield, Ohio. He suffered a sudden heart attack at his home in London, Ohio and later died at a local hospital. At the time of his death, Rush was a regional director for the Grolier Education Corporation.

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Other American Football League players, coaches and contributors

Preceded by Mike Holovak

Boston Patriots Head Coaches 1969-1970

Succeeded by John Mazur

Boston/New England Patriots Head Coaches
Saban • Holovak • Rush • Mazur • Bengtson • Fairbanks • Erhardt • Meyer • Berry • Rust • MacPherson • Parcells • Carroll • Belichick