Ed Hughes Edward D . Hughes ( October 23 , 1927 – June 23 , 2000 ) was an American football player and coach whose career spanned more than three decades . His most prominent coaching position came in 1971 when he served as head coach of the National Football League ' s Houston Oilers . Playing career . Hughes , a native of Buffalo , New York , played college football on both sides of the ball at the University of Tulsa , then was drafted in the tenth round of the 1954 NFL Draft by the Los Angeles Rams . Playing primarily at defensive back , Hughes collected two interceptions during his rookie year , then helped the team reach the NFL Championship game in 1955 . On August 12 , 1956 , Hughes was traded along with running back Tommy McCormick to the New York Giants for a fourth round draft pick . Hughes would play three seasons with his new team , helping them play twice in the NFL title game , including a convincing win over the Chicago Bears during his first season . Coaching career . In 1959 , Hughes entered the coaching ranks , returning to his alma mater in Tulsa for one season . The following year , he joined Hank Stram ' s staff with the fledgling Dallas Texans of the new American Football League . His three years in the Lone Star state as defensive backs coach were capped with the team ' s first championship , coming in a double overtime thriller over the Houston Oilers . After the 1962 season , Hughes was hired as an assistant with another AFL team , the Denver Broncos , but spent only one season there before accepting a position with the Washington Redskins . For four seasons , Hughes worked under two different coaches , then left to become offensive coordinator for the San Francisco 49ers . The move reunited Hughes with Dick Nolan , who not only was his former teammate with the Giants , but also his brother - in - law . After the 49ers struggled during the 1968 and 1969 seasons , the team put it all together during Nolan and Hughes ' third year , winning the NFC West Division while also leading the league in total offense . The renewed success of the team was beneficial for Hughes , who accepted a five - year contract as head coach of the Oilers on January 21 , 1971 . The lengthy contract would prove to be a mirage as Hughes lasted just one season in the position . An indication of the season came in the opener when Houston was shut out 31 - 0 by the Cleveland Browns , and continued when Hughes fired two assistant coaches during the campaign . The disarray concluded on December 22 when Hughes resigned after a strange power struggle in which Hughes asked that the team trainer be fired , while team owner Bud Adams insisted that the equipment manager ( who Hughes had fired ) be reinstated . Almost two years later , one more example of the havoc surrounding the team surfaced when Oilers center Jerry Sturm indicated that he had been offered a bribe to affect the outcome of a game . Following Hughes ' departure , the Oilers became the first ( and to date , only ) team to post consecutive one - win seasons since the AFL - NFL merger , going 1 - 13 in 1972 and 1973 . Hughes briefly worked in a trailer factory until a contract settlement was reached , then accepted the quarterbacks coach position with the St . Louis Cardinals on August 30 , 1972 . When Cardinals ' head coach Bob Hollway was fired after that season , Hughes found new employment on March 8 , 1973 as offensive backfield coach of the Dallas Cowboys . Hughes ' new boss , Tom Landry , had earlier played a role in his future when his 1956 retirement resulted in the Giants ' trade for Hughes . During his four seasons with the Cowboys , the team played in two NFC Championship games and competed in Super Bowl X against the Pittsburgh Steelers . In 1977 , Hughes left to join Tommy Hudspeth ' s staff with the Detroit Lions , but after Hudspeth was fired at the end of the season , Hughes re - joined Dick Nolan , who had been named head coach of the New Orleans Saints . The reunion of Nolan and Hughes would last only three years , when an improved 1979 Saints team turned into the infamous " Aints " of 1980 . That squad was symbolized by their loss to the 49ers on December 7 in which they blew a 28 - point lead . Hughes would spend the 1981 NFL season with the Philadelphia Eagles , then move on to become offensive coordinator of the Chicago Bears under new head coach Mike Ditka . While the Bears would become known for their defensive prowess during this era , the offense still had the unparalleled exploits of running back Walter Payton . The combination was enough to lead the Bears to a title in 1985 , capped with a 46 - 10 victory over the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XX . The Bears would go on to the postseason in each of the next three seasons , but Hughes resigned during the 1989 training camp after being demoted , then become quarterback coach of the Eagles midway through the season . In 1990 , Hughes was hired as defensive coordinator of Division III Lake Forest College . Hughes now lives on in his five children , and ten grandchildren .