College Football Hall of Fame

Dick Jauron: Yale Bulldogs Star to NFL Coach of the Year

By Pigskin Dispatch October 6, 2026 2 min read

Dick Jauron dominated the Ivy League as a star running back for Yale University before building a remarkable career in the NFL as both a Pro Bowl defensive back and an acclaimed head coach.

Football Bio

October 7, 1950 – Dick Jauron was a former Yale University running back who played for the Bulldogs from 1970 to 1972.

Jauron was a First-Team All-Ivy League selection and led his team in rushing in all three of the seasons he played for Yale.

The Detroit Lions picked Dick in the fourth round of the 1973 NFL Draft.

His eight-year career also included three seasons with the Cincinnati Bengals.

After his playing days, he coached in the NFL for 28 seasons, including as head coach of both the Chicago Bears and the Buffalo Bills.

Jauron earned the 2001 NFL Coach of the Year Award.

Dick Jauron was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2015. [National Football Foundation]

Dick Jauron carved out a unique football legacy, proving his elite talent at Yale before establishing himself as a respected defensive mind and leader in the NFL coaching ranks.

Accolades and Football Accomplishments

  • Recorded 25 career interceptions and two touchdowns over an eight-year NFL playing career with the Detroit Lions and Cincinnati Bengals.
  • Inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2015.
  • Named the AP NFL Coach of the Year in 2001 after leading the Chicago Bears to a 13-3 record.
  • Selected to the Pro Bowl in 1974 as a free safety for the Detroit Lions.
  • Three-time First-Team All-Ivy League selection (1970โ€“1972).
  • Awarded the Asa S. Bushnell Cup as the Ivy League’s Player of the Year in 1972.
  • Amassed 2,947 career rushing yards at Yale, which remained a school record until 2000.
  • Drafted in the 4th round (91st overall) of the 1973 NFL Draft by the Detroit Lions.
Canva AI generated image representative of a jersey that the player may have worn, early 1970s Yale Bulldogs jersey 40, with a Pigskin Dispatch College HOF & Yale logos.
Canva AI-generated image representative of a jersey that the player may have worn.

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