Dec. 7, 2005
Associated Press
Former Georgia Tech head football coach Bud Carson died Wednesday at the age of 75.
Carson, who had been ill with emphysema, died at his home in Florida, according to his wife’s employer, TV station WWSB.
Carson served as Georgia Tech’s defensive coordinator in 1966, the final season for legendary Tech head coach Bobby Dodd. He took over as head coach the following year and coached the Yellow Jackets for five seasons from 1967-71. He posted a record of 27-27, highlighted by a nine-win season and Sun Bowl victory in 1970.
Carson, who later served as head coach of the Cleveland Browns, is perhaps best known as the architect of Pittsburgh’s “Steel Curtain” defense. He was the Steelers’ defensive coordinator from 1972-77, and shaped a defense led by Joe Greene, Jack Ham and Jack Lambert into one of the best in NFL history. During that time, the Steelers won three Super Bowl titles under coach Chuck Noll.
Carson then became defensive coordinator of the Los Angeles Rams, who lost to the Steelers in the Super Bowl after the 1979 season. He coached the Browns in 1989-90, posting a 11-13-1 record in 1½ seasons.
Cleveland won the AFC Central in his first season, beating Buffalo 34-30 in the playoffs before losing to Denver 37-31 in the AFC championship game. He was fired the next year when the team got off to a 2-7 start.
Carson was a defensive back at North Carolina from 1949-51 before spending two years in the Marines.
