Jauron and Kay
Dick Jauron's first NFL coaching job was in Buffalo, in 1985, as a defensive backs coach for Kay Stephenson.
Ironically, his head coaching tenure ended much the same way Stephenson’s did. Like Stephenson, Jauron served as a figurative punching bag for the fans. He took on unrelenting criticism with a stiff upper lip, did it in the most bland way possible and refused to pass the buck or deflect any criticism at any time. Stephenson, a good man, suffered through weekly radio shows in which callers heaped abuse on him - with good reason due to the way the team was struggling.
Maybe living through that experience influenced Jauron. He never made any attempt to curry the fans' favor. He disdained radio and television shows. He never tried to sell himself to the fans in any way. Jauron would probably say that winning is the only thing that matters, and that is the bottom line. But Jauron certainly could have done a better job of creating a better public image, both for his own benefit and for the way the players perceived him. He was probably the most private head coach the Bills ever have had.
---Mark Gaughan
