Charley Casserly
 Casserly in 2018 | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born: | February 27, 1949 River Edge, New Jersey,U.S. |
| Career information | |
| High school: | Bergen Catholic(Oradell, New Jersey) |
| College: | Springfield College |
| Career history | |
| As an executive: | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
| Executive profileat Pro Football Reference | |
Charley Casserly(born February 27, 1949)[1]is anAmerican footballanalyst and former executive. Casserly was thegeneral managerof theNational Football League(NFL)'sWashington RedskinsandHouston Texans,winning threeSuper Bowlswith Washington.
Early life
[edit]Casserly was born in 1949 and grew up inRiver Edge, New Jerseybefore attendingBergen Catholic High School.[2][3]Casserly began his career as an assistant track coach at Cathedral High School inSpringfield, Massachusetts,from 1969–72 before moving to a similar post at his alma mater,Springfield (MA) Collegefrom 1973–74. He returned to Cathedral High School to serve as the school's athletic director for two years before becoming head football coach at Minnechaug Regional High School inWilbraham, Massachusetts,from 1975–76. He holds a bachelor's degree in education and a master's degree in guidance from Springfield College, where he also played football. His roommate at Springfield was former New York Giants GM, Dave Gettleman. In May 2005, he received an honorary doctor degree in humanics from Springfield. Casserly is also a member of the Springfield College Sports Hall of Fame and Bergen Catholic High School Hall of Fame.
Managerial career
[edit]Washington Redskins
[edit]In his 23-year career with the Washington Redskins, the team went to four Super Bowls, winning three. Casserly was an assistant toBobby Beathardfor two of the Super Bowl winning seasons. In 2003, NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue appointed him to the NFL's Competition Committee for the second time (2003–06; 1996–1999).
Casserly started with the Redskins in 1977 as an unpaid intern underHall of Famecoach,George Allen.Washington hired Casserly as a scout the next season. During his early years as a scout, he unearthed free agentsJoe JacobyandJeff Bostic,who were original members of the famed"Hogs"offensive line and key components of Washington's first two Super Bowl teams. Jacoby was selected to four Pro Bowls and Bostic made one trip to Honolulu. The Washington Redskins elevated Casserly to assistant general manager in 1982 and the club went on to capture its first Super Bowl. That year, Casserly also re-instituted the club's intern program, which has produced more than 20 league executives over his years in Washington and Houston.
During the NFL players strike in 1987, Casserly put together the Washington Redskins "replacement" team that went 3–0 before the strike ended, including a Monday Night win against a Dallas team that featured a number of its star players. That experience was the subject of the Warner Bros. feature film, "The Replacements,"that starredKeanu ReevesandGene Hackman.[citation needed]
Promoted to general manager after Beathard resigned in 1989,[4]Casserly sustained the Washington Redskin’s history of uncovering high-quality players in the later rounds of the draft.[citation needed]He used a fifth-round draft pick in 1990 to select Southwest Louisiana quarterbackBrian Mitchell.Washington Redskins then converted Mitchell into a running back/kick returner, where he later joinedJim Brownas the only players in NFL history to lead the league in combined net yards four times. In 1996, Casserly pluckedAuburn Universityrunning backStephen Davisin the fourth round. Davis paced the NFC in rushing in 1999 with 1,450 yards. Casserly also drafted future Pro Bowlers in wide receiverKeenan McCardell(12th round, 1991) and tight endFrank Wycheck(sixth round, 1993). During the 1999 off-season, Casserly acquired veteran quarterbackBrad Johnsonwho responded with a Pro Bowl season.
In 1999, Sports Illustrated, Pro Football Weekly, The Sporting News and USA Today named Casserly their NFL Executive of the Year at mid-season. On draft day in1999,Casserly acquired all of theNew Orleans Saints1999 selections, plus their first and third-round picks in 2000 by swapping the WFT's fifth selection in the first round for the Saints' 12th choice. He still managed to obtain the player that Washington wanted, selecting future Pro Bowl cornerbackChamp Bailey.Casserly was fired in July 1999 by new team ownerDaniel Snyder.[5]
Houston Texans
[edit]After leaving the Redskins, Casserly took on the general manager role for the expansionHouston Texans. With the franchise's first four selections in the2002 NFL draft,Casserly draftedDavid Carr,Jabar Gaffney,Chester Pitts,andFred Weary.
During Casserly's remaining drafts for the Texans, (2003 through 2006), the Texans drafted five eventual Pro-Bowlers:Andre Johnson(WR, 2003),Jerome Mathis(KR, 2005),DeMeco Ryans(LB, 2006),Mario Williams(DE, 2006) andOwen Daniels(TE 2006). Ryans was also named the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2006. Mario Williams, who many criticized for being the #1 overall pick in 2006 (behind college standoutsReggie BushandVince Young), made the Pro Bowl in the 2008 season.
During Casserly's tenure as GM, the Texans went 4–12 in their inaugural season of 2002, then improved to 5–11 in 2003 and 7–9 in 2004 before slumping to a disappointing 2–14 record in 2005. During the 2005 season, while the Texans were 1–12, team owner Bob McNair hired former NFL coach Dan Reeves to serve as a consultant to help McNair evaluate his team.[6]After the end of the season, head coach Dom Capers was fired by McNair. Casserly was criticized for a number of personnel moves, including trading second and third round picks to the Oakland Raiders forPhillip Buchanonin 2005. Buchanon was a poor player for the Texans in 2005, and was released by the team after the first four games of the 2006 season. In a public interview, McNair criticized the trade for Buchanon, saying that the front office had not done its homework.
Subsequent to the Texans' 2006 NFL Draft and after the Texans' 2–14 season, Casserly left the organization on June 1, 2006. Casserly sought a job in the National Football League front office, but was passed over for the job.[7]He was succeeded as general manager byRick Smith.Casserly's work with the Texans was subjected to much criticism.[8]
Broadcast career
[edit]In addition, Casserly has had extensive experience in radio and television for 16 years. While in Washington, he was a part of local television shows onWUSA(CBS),WJLA(ABC),WTTG(Fox) andHTS(Home Team Sports), as well as radio shows onWTOPandWJFK.In Houston, Casserly did four years of television on KTRK (ABC) and six years of radio on KILT. In the Fall of 1999, he reported three times per week onESPN Radioand was a contributor onEdge NFL Match-Up.In 2008, Casserly was the color commentator for thePhiladelphia Eaglespreseason games on Eagles Television Network. He has also served as an NFL insider as part ofThe NFL TodayonCBS.He was inducted in theWashington DC Sports Hall of Famein 2024.[9]
Other work
[edit]Casserly is also employed byGeorge Mason Universityas an executive-in-residence and instructor of sport management.[10]He also teaches an MBA course atGeorgetown University.[citation needed]
References
[edit]- ^Washington Redskins 1978 Press Guide (profile on page 20).Retrieved October 29, 2022.
- ^Aldridge, David."Casserly Goes According to The Plan; Redskins' Rocky Start Puts Focus On GM Who Put Team Together",The Washington Post,October 5, 1994. Accessed October 9, 2008. "Casserly knows this just as surely as he knows he's from River Edge, N.J."
- ^Justice, Richard."Casserly's Career Is A Real Piece of Work; Since Humble Start, Always a Job to Do",The Washington Post,August 28, 1996. Accessed September 15, 2011. "'My father told me I was going to high school at Bergen Catholic and I was going to have to come up with the money to pay the $300 tuition,' Casserly recalled."
- ^Doerschuk, Steve."Bobby Beathard had to fight his way to Hog Heaven".CantonRep.RetrievedJanuary 7,2020.
- ^Elfin, David (May 14, 2010)."For Redskins, another middling year".The Washington Times.RetrievedDecember 21,2013.
- ^"Texans bring Reeves aboard as consultant to the owner".Houston Business Journal.December 12, 2005.RetrievedDecember 21,2013.
- ^Maske, Mark."Casserly Lands With CBS".The Washington Post.Archived fromthe originalon April 5, 2012.RetrievedDecember 21,2013.
- ^Bishop, Greg (April 13, 2008)."Professor Casserly's Lessons Outline a Course for Living".New York Times.RetrievedDecember 21,2013.
- ^Selby, Zach (July 22, 2024)."Former Washington GM Charley Casserly named to DC Sports Hall of Fame".Commanders.RetrievedJuly 24,2024.
- ^"Charley Casserly Lands at George Mason".The Washington Post.