Professional Football Player and Coach. Former coach for the American Football League's New York Jets from 1977-1982 and professional football player for the Green Bay Packers, Cleveland Browns, and the New York Jets. He spent 34 years in professional football as a player and coach for the National Football League, the American Football League, and the United States Football League. He was born in Swoyersville, Pennsylvania, the son of a coal miner, and attended Washington & Lee University in Lexington, Virginia, where he played fullback . He was the seventh round pick for the Cleveland Browns in the 1951 NFL draft, but was traded to the Green Bay Packers during summer training. He was traded back to the Browns in 1952 and played the position of linebacker for almost a decade. During his tenure with the Browns, he played in five NFL Championship games, winning consecutively in 1954 and 1955. He was hired as defensive backs coach in 1962 by the Oakland Raiders. After a season of 1 and 13, he returned to the New York Jets as defensive line coach. He played in the opening game of the 1963 season versus Boston as an emergency fill-in linebacker, but returned to coaching. In 1967 he became the linebackers coach and the unofficial defensive coordinator. After the Jets defeated the Baltimore Colts in Superbowl III, he seemed destined to follow Weeb Ewbank as head coach, but the team owner hired his son-in-law and designated him as Ewbank's successor. He immediately resigned and two weeks later took a position as defensive coordinator for the Philadelpia Eagles. Following a three year loss and coaching staff shakeup, he returned as defensive coach for the New York Jets in 1976. After a disastrous season for the Jets, head coach Lou Holtz resigned, and Michaels became the official head coach for the Jets on January 4, 1977. Under his tenure of head coach, the Jets went 39-47-1, made the postseason twice in 1981 and 1982, and played in the AFC Championship Game during the shortened 1982 season. After losing the championship to the Miami Dolphins, he resigned, citing a need to take a break from football. He would later return as coach for the New York Generals in the United States Football League in 1984, but was let go by team owner Donald Trump after one season when the team was merged with the Houston Gamblers. Often described as old school and temperamental, his players described him as tough but fair. He had contentious exchanges with other coaches and accused Don Shula, head coach for the Miami Dolphins, of not covering the field during three days of rain prior to the Orange Bowl. The heavy rain caused such muddy conditions it was dubbed the "Mud Bowl." The muddy field slowed down the Jets normally speedy offense and Michaels believed it cost them the game.