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Published on 01/11/1999 All articles from this issue

Seifert signs on as Carolina coach

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Town Crier Staff Report

After two years away from coaching, George Seifert has returned to the National Football League.

The Los Altos resident last week signed a five-year contract with the Carolina Panthers worth about $12 million, according to the Associated Press.

Seifert gained his coaching fame with the San Francisco 49ers, a team he guided to a pair of Super Bowl victories. Seifert won 76 percent of his games (108-35) during his eight-year reign as Niners coach, giving him the highest winning percentage in NFL history.

Seifert should have his hands full in North Carolina. The Panthers went 4-12 this past season, the worst record in the team's four-year history.

"It's a heck of a responsibility but a very exciting one," Seifert said at a press conference Jan. 4 in Charlotte. "I'm ready to get started. I'm more excited than I ever thought I would be about coming back into coaching."

Since leaving the Niners after the 1996 season, Seifert has spent time traveling, fishing and broadcasting. He most recently worked as an NFL analyst for CBS Television.

Seifert and his wife Linda are expected to move to the Charlotte area in the coming weeks, but they'll be back at least once this year. The Panthers and Niners are in the same division, guaranteeing the teams will play in San Francisco next fall.