If you are a fan of the NFL, you might have heard of two prominent names in the league: Steve Wyche and Sam Wyche. Steve Wyche is a reporter for NFL Network and a senior writer for NFL.com, while Sam Wyche was a former quarterback and head coach for the Cincinnati Bengals and other teams. But are they related? The answer might surprise you.
Who is Steve Wyche?
Steve Wyche was born on May 28, 1966, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He played quarterback, running back and outside linebacker in high school and went on to play college football at the University of Missouri. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from Howard University in 1989
He began his journalism career covering high school and small college sports for the Richmond Times-Dispatch from 1989 to 1990. He then worked for the Miami Herald for 10 years, covering the Miami Dolphins, Miami Heat and Florida Gators. He moved to the Washington Post in 1999, where he was the NBA and Washington Wizards writer for five years
In 2004, he joined the Atlanta Journal-Constitution as the beat writer for the Atlanta Falcons. He also worked as a correspondent for ESPN and ESPN2 during the 2007 season. In 2008, he joined NFL Network and NFL.com as a reporter and senior writer. He contributes insider reports, analysis and moderates panel discussions on NFL Total Access. He also files field reports at various team facilities and games on NFL GameDay Morning and NFL Now. He is also a panelist on The Aftermath and hosts the network’s Pro Football Hall of Fame specials
In 2016, he broke the story of Colin Kaepernick’s protesting during the national anthem, which sparked a nationwide debate and controversy. He interviewed Kaepernick and revealed his motives and intentions behind his actions
Who is Sam Wyche?
Sam Wyche was born on January 5, 1945, in Atlanta, Georgia. He played college football at Furman University as a quarterback from 1963 to 1965. He also earned his Master of Business Administration degree from the University of South Carolina
He played professional football for several teams, including the Wheeling Ironmen, Cincinnati Bengals, Washington Redskins, Detroit Lions, St. Louis Cardinals and Buffalo Bills. He was mostly a backup quarterback and played from 1966 to 1976. He completed 116 passes in 222 attempts for 1,748 yards and 12 touchdowns in his career
He began his coaching career as an assistant coach at South Carolina in 1967. He then worked as an assistant coach for the San Francisco 49ers from 1979 to 1982, where he coached Joe Montana and helped the team win Super Bowl XVI. He became the head coach of Indiana University in 1983, but left after one season to take over the Cincinnati Bengals in 1984
He coached the Bengals from 1984 to 1991, leading them to two AFC championships and one Super Bowl appearance. He was known for introducing the use of the no-huddle offense as a standard offense, which gave his team an edge over their opponents. He also had a fiery personality and often clashed with officials and other coaches. He once told his fans not to throw snowballs at opposing players by saying “You don’t live in Cleveland, you live in Cincinnati!”
He left the Bengals after the 1991 season and became the head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 1992. He coached them until 1995, but failed to make the playoffs or have a winning season. He then worked as a quarterbacks coach for Pickens High School in South Carolina from 2002 to 2003 and for the Buffalo Bills from 2004 to 2005. He returned to Pickens High School as an offensive coordinator from 2006 to 2019
He died on January 2, 2020, at the age of 74, due to complications from melanoma. He had undergone a heart transplant in 2016 after suffering from cardiomyopathy
Are They Related?
Despite sharing the same last name and having similar careers in football, Steve Wyche and Sam Wyche are not related by blood or marriage. They are not brothers, cousins or even distant relatives.
According to Steve Wyche himself, he met Sam Wyche only once in his life, when he was covering a game between the Falcons and the Buccaneers in Tampa Bay in 1995. He said that Sam Wyche approached him before the game and asked him if they were related. Steve Wyche said that they were not, but that they had a common ancestor in England. Sam Wyche then joked that they should get together for a family reunion
Steve Wyche also said that he admired Sam Wyche as a coach and a person, and that he was saddened by his death. He said that Sam Wyche was a pioneer and an innovator in the NFL, and that he left a lasting legacy in the league
Conclusion
Steve Wyche and Sam Wyche are two prominent figures in the NFL, but they are not related. They have different backgrounds, careers and personalities, but they share a passion for football and a respect for each other. They are both part of the NFL family, but not of the same bloodline.
