What would you do if your dreams were crushed even before you started? Would you sulk, or would you move on to even better things? While you gather your thoughts, we are going to tell you about Dave Wannstedt, a man who faced those same difficulties.
Dave not only rose through his injury that forbade him from playing for the rest of his life, but he also made a name for himself as a coach in the NFL and the collegiate level.
Therefore, we had written this article to inspire our dear readers by telling you about Wannstedt’s enthralling journey, which nearly ended even before it began.
We will also inform you about his net worth, salary, age, height, wife, kids, and social media.
So without wasting another second, let’s begin with some quick facts.
Quick Facts:
| Full Name | Dave Wannstedt |
| Birth Date | 21 May 1952 |
| Birth Place | Baldwin, Pennsylvania, U.S.A |
| Nick Name | Not available |
| Religion | Not available |
| Nationality | American |
| Ethnicity | White |
| Education | University of Pittsburgh |
| Horoscope | Taurus |
| Father’s Name | Frank Wannstedt |
| Mother’s Name | Virginia Wannstedt |
| Siblings | Dan Wannstedt (Brother), Cheryl Wannstedt, Peggy Wannstedt, Diane Wannstedt, Joane Wannstedt |
| Age | 71 Years Old |
| Height | 6’3″ (1.93 m) |
| Weight | Not available |
| Shoe Size | Not available |
| Hair Color | White |
| Eye Color | Black |
| Body Measurement | Not available |
| Build | Muscular |
| Married | Yes |
| Girlfriends | No |
| Spouse | Janet Wannstedt |
| Role | Defensive coordinator, Head Coach |
| Profession | National Football League (NFL) |
| Net Worth | $18 million |
| Franchises | Pittsburg Panthers, Dallas Cowboys, Chicago Bears, Miami Dolphins, University of Pittsburgh |
| Jersey Number | Not available |
| Social Media | |
| Last Update | April, 2024 |
Where is Dave Wannstedt from? Early Life and Education
Dave was born to his late parents, Frank Wannstedt and Virginia Wannstedt, in Baldwin, Pennsylvania, in 1952.
Wannstedt grew up with his brother, Dan Wannstedt, and sisters, Cheryl Wannstedt, Peggy Wannstedt, Diane Wannstedt, and Joanne Wannstedt.
As a result, the competition was always fierce amongst the siblings growing up, which helped him play his career.
The future Super Bowl winner always dreamed of being a professional footballer even before he could remember.
As a result, Wannstedt used to spend all of his time practicing and developing his skill in the hope of playing in the NFL someday.
By the time young Dave attended Baldwin High School, he was already one of the stars as an offensive tackler.
And by the time he finished his college days with the University of Pittsburgh, the Pennsylvania native was seen as one of the top prospects coming out of college.
As a result, Dave decided to make himself eligible for the 1974 NFL Draft.
How old is Dave Wannstedt? Age, Height & Body Measurements
Having been born in the year 1952 makes Dave age 67 years at the moment. Although people may say that 67 is a bit old, Wannastedt will not agree with you because he stills works as an analyst for FOX Sports.
Furthermore, the Pennsylvania native stands at 6 feet 3 inches (1.93 meters) tall, which would have been a great advantage during his playing career. But unfortunately, due to injuries, Dave could never use his large frame to make a name for himself as a player.
Dave Wannstedt | Career
Dave’s professional career started with the Green Bay Packers when he got selected in the 15th round of the 1974 NFL Draft.
Consequently, things looked bright for the then 22-year-old, but the situation went haywire in no time. To explain, Wannstedt injured his neck in the preseason camp and sadly never played again.
On the contrary, the Pennsylvania native landed himself a job in the coaching role, a decision that would define his legacy and career.
After that, he spent the next four years with the Pitt Panthers, where he won the NCAA Division-I national football championship.
However, his big breakthrough in the coaching line came during the 1989 season when the mighty Dallas Cowboys recruited Dave as their defensive coordinator.
Under his mentorship, the Cowboys defense was considered one of the best at the time. In fact, the Dallas-based franchise even won the Super Bowl XVIII with Wannstedt as their defensive coordinator.
By the year 1993, the Pennsylvania native had already earned a reputation for himself as one of the best coaches.
Therefore, on 19 January 1993, the Chicago Bears decided to hire Dave as their head coach to replace the legendary Mike Ditka.
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As soon as Wannstedt took the job, he was under immense pressure to replicate Ditka’s work previously.
Added to that, this was his first job as a head coach in the NFL, which made things even worse. Consequently, Dave’s six years with the Bears turned out to be a nightmare as the franchise could reach the postseason just once.
Thus, in 1999, the Chicago Bears fired the 67-year-old due to his underwhelming performances over the course of six years.
But soon after losing his job, Wannstedt found a new one with the Miami Dolphins. He assumed the role of defensive coordinator along with being the assistant head coach.
But in a stroke of luck, Dolphins head coach, Jimmy Johnson, suddenly decided to retire, which meant that Dave had to step up to take the head coach’s role. Subsequently, his next five years with the franchise were full of highs and lows.
To explain, the 67-year-old started his reign exceedingly well as he guided the Dolphins to two consecutive playoff appearances in his first two years.
But, his next three years with the Miami-based franchise turned into disappointment as Wannstedt’s mistakes piled up one after the other.
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As a result, Dolphins fans grew tired of the Pennsylvania native, which ultimately led to his resignation in 2004.
Thereafter, not even two months had passed since his resignation when Dave got the opportunity to manage his alma mater, the University of Pittsburg.
Upon arriving, Wannstedt said that managing his former team was one of the proudest moments of his career and that he vowed to win trophies for the team.
#girldad #beardown #circa1993 ❤️❤️ pic.twitter.com/VW0acajykK
— Coach Wannstedt (@CoachWannstedt) January 29, 2020
Unfortunately, the Pennsylvania native could not win any award for the university during his six-year-long tenure.
In fact, the pressure got so immense that Wannstedt decided to resign from the job as he could not deliver on his promises.
Nonetheless, the university acknowledged his determination by offering him a position as a special assistant to the athletic director. But Dave declined the offer as he needed some time off from footballing activities.
Having sat out for almost a year, the 67-year-old decided that it was time for him to get back into football.
And that is what he did as he took the assistant head coach’s role with the Buffalo Bills. But unfortunately, Wannstedt was dismissed along with the entire Bills coaching staff due to their lackluster performances just one year after taking the job.
Subsequently, the Pennsylvania native joined the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as their special teams’ coach, but disappointingly like many times before; Dave was let go at the end of the 2013 season.
The 2013 season also marked an end to Wannstedt’s 20-year-long professional coaching career as he has not taken any role in football since.
Where is Dave Wannstedt now | Fox NFL Kickoff
On the contrary, the 67-year-old has made some appearances as a football analyst for FOX Sports. For instance, Dave regularly appears on FOX NFL Kickoff, which airs every Sunday morning during the NFL season.
Champs Sunday tune in Fox Nfl Kickoff 1ET @Spoon33 @PSchrags @MichaelVick @CharissaT @ColinCowherd @TonyGonzalez88 pic.twitter.com/CEbf6ZmDDA
— Coach Wannstedt (@CoachWannstedt) January 24, 2021
Furthermore, Wannstedt recently made an appearance in an episode of Chicago Fire, which is an American action drama sitcom.
Dave Wannstedt | Net Worth & Salary
As of 2024, Dave has accrued a net worth of $18 million, mainly through his coaching activities in the NFL.
Having spent 20 years as a professional coach in the NFL and college, Wannastedt’s net worth should come as no surprise.
During his time in the coaching department, the 67-year-old regularly used to earn more than $1 million per year.
Interestingly, NFL coaches these days receive an average salary of $3 million per year. Thus, we feel that Dave retired from the game a bit too early.
Nevertheless, having a net worth of $18 million should be enough for the Pennsylvania native as he is 67 years old at the moment.
However, Dave still appears from time to time for Fox Sports as an NFL analyst, which pockets him thousands of dollars.
Dave Wannstedt | Daughters & Wife
Dave is involved in a 47 year-long marriage with his sweetheart, Janet Wannstedt. The couple got married back in 1973 in the presence of more than 200 family and friends.
Likewise, the pair had been in a long relationship before their marriage. In fact, the two met during their college days and have been together ever since.
Doesn’t get any better than family at Lake Max, Culver, IN!! @JimIrsay pic.twitter.com/FBSLKYvOxl
— Coach Wannstedt (@CoachWannstedt) August 5, 2020
Also, the two lovebirds have been blessed with two daughters, Keri Wannstedt and Jamie Wannstedt.
Both the girls are married, but unfortunately, there is no information regarding their life. However, what we do know is that Carrie is 43 years old while Jamie is 40.
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In conclusion, the Wannstedt bunch is one big happy family as they hang out together frequently. We hope that the family continues to share the strong bond that they currently do.
Social Media Presence:
Twitter account: 3.8k followers
Some FAQs:
Where does Dave Wannstedt coach?
Dave Wannstedt has been the head coach of the Chicago Bears and the Miami Dolphins. Likewise, he has also done assistant coaching for the Buffalo Bills and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Interestingly, he was also the head coach of his alma mater, the University of Pittsburgh, where his team won the 2010 Big East Championship.
How long was Dave Wannstedt, Chicago bears coach?
Dave Wannstedt served as a head coach of the Chicago bears for six years. He was hired as the head coach of bears on January 19, 1993, and was later fired on December 28, 1998.
Why did Dave Wannstedt leave Pittsburg?
Dave Wannstedt resigned as head coach of Pittsburg, on December 7, 2010, because of a disappointing 7–5 regular season and having failed to advance to a Bowl Championship Series during his tenure.
After leaving Pittsburg, Dave returned to the NFL and served as an assistant on staff for the Buffalo Bills (2011-12) and Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2013).
Who should replace Dave Wannstedt for the Chicago Bears?
Dick Jauron was hired as the head coach of Chicago Bears on January 23, 1999, to replace Dave Wannstedt.
When did Dave Wannstedt coach at Dallas Cowboys?
Dave Wannstedt served as head coach of Dallas Cowboys from (1989–1992).
Where does Dave live? His home now.