He's heard them all
New Chargers defensive coordinator Ted Cottrell spent last season away from the sidelines/coach's booth, working in the NFL office. One of his duties was to review appeals of fines, and to decide whether to reduce or rescind them.
"I heard a lot of stories, 'dog ate my homework' type of things," he said. "Sometimes it was pretty funny, and I'd just sit back and laugh."
Cottrell, who had spent 22 seasons as an NFL coordinator or assistant and 33 as an assistant all told, had been a coordinator three years with Buffalo, three years with the Jets and two years with Minnesota before taking a year off from coaching.
The different perspective, he said, "helped me understand the playing rules a lot better, and also how the officials work. I have a deeper appreciation for their job."
It didn't necessary stoke his passion for coaching, but a spot with a 14-2 team was too much to turn down.
"Believe it or not, retirement wasn't that hard," he said. "But the opportunity to coach a team like this made the decision a lot easier. I wouldn't have left that job for a so-so team."