In a coaching career spanning four decades, Kevin Gilbride’s most famous moment was the time Buddy Ryan punched him on the sideline, when Gilbride ran the Run & Shoot as the Oilers’ offensive coordinator, and Ryan, the Oilers’ defensive coordinator, disapproved.
Years later, Gilbride believes the offense he ran in the 90s -- which was decried as a gimmick by a lot more people than just Buddy Ryan -- has now been vindicated.
Gilbride was asked today about how three-receiver and four-receiver sets have become commonplace in the NFL, whereas when Gilbride was running the offense in Houston the standard NFL offense included both a fullback and a tight end on the field.
“Isn’t that amazing? When I was at Houston we were four-wides, and it was considered gimmicky,” Gilbride said. “You were stepping out of the box, and now it is the norm.”
The Giants’ current winning streak began when they defeated the Jets, coached by Buddy’s son, Rex Ryan. That game was labeled as Gilbride’s revenge. But the real vindication for Gilbride is in seeing just how commonplace the offenses he ran in Houston have become around the NFL.