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SAN DIEGO -- Mike Martz believes it’s a no-brainer. But for others, there’s still a debate. One of the NFL’s most innovative and creative coaches during his time in the league, former San Diego Chargers head coach Don Coryell remains on the outside looking in when it comes to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. “Maybe people don’t understand football well enough to know the impact he had on this game,” said Martz, an NFL offensive guru who says Coryell had a major influence on how he approached the game. “People who really understand football and have been in it their whole lives, they get it. They know.”  Coryell’s latest opportunity to join the NFL’s elite arrives Saturday, when the 46-person selection committee will convene in San Francisco, site of Super Bowl 50, to discuss this year’s group.
For the second time since 2010, Coryell is among 15 finalists, also including Morton Anderson, Steve Atwater, Terrell Davis, Brett Favre, Alan Faneca, Kevin Greene, Marvin Harrison, Joe Jacoby, Edgerrin James, John Lynch, Terrell Owens, Orlando Pace, Kurt Warner and Tony Dungy. Those 15 finalists are joined by two other senior finalists announced back in August by the seniors committee, Ken Stabler and Dick Stanfel. To be elected, a finalist must receive 80 percent of votes. Rules state between four and eight new members must be selected, and no more than five modern-era finalists can be elected each year. With his offense dubbed “Air Coryell” because of its ability to create explosive plays through the air, Coryell was one of the developers of the pass-catching tight end, spawned the three-digit play-calling system that some NFL teams still use, and originated the one-back offense. Coryell also designed the “passing tree” of receiving routes that is now used at all levels of football. Coryell’s offense led the league in passing yardage for six straight seasons from 1978 to 1983 while he was with the Chargers, and again in 1985. The offense produced three Hall of Famers in wide receiver Charlie Joiner, tight end Kellen Winslow and quarterback Dan Fouts. And now Coryell awaits his turn. Coryell died in 2010 at age 85.
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