Ernie Zampese was recognized earlier this summer by the Pro Football Hall of Fame with an Award of Excellence. Cowboys quarterback Troy Aikman, in his Hall of Fame induction speech in 2006, called Zampese “one of the best offensive minds and greatest people that this game has ever known.”
He paid tribute again to Zampese on Monday, posting on Instagram that “many of his offensive concepts are still being used to this day.”
Zampese began his coaching career in 1962 when he was hired by John Madden at Hancock Junior College in Santa Maria, California.
He worked as an assistant coach at Cal Poly (1966) and San Diego State (1967-76) before breaking into the NFL as a scout for the New York Jets from 1977 to ’78.
Zampese joined coach Don Coryell’s staff with the then-San Diego Chargers in 1979, coaching the wide receivers there until 1982. He was the associate head coach in charge of the passing game from 1983 to ’84 and the offensive coordinator from 1985 to ’86.