Bill MacDermott should not be confused with Bill McDermott.
Birth Date: | 14 May 1936 |
Birth Place: | Providence, Rhode Island, U.S. |
Death Place: | Edmonton, Alberta, Canada |
Player Years1: | 1950s |
Player Team1: | Trinity (CT) |
Player Positions: | Offensive lineman |
Coach Years1: | 1966–1970 |
Coach Team1: | Wesleyan (assistant) |
Coach Years2: | 1971–1986 |
Coach Team2: | Wesleyan |
Coach Years3: | 1987–1989 |
Coach Team3: | Cal Poly (assistant) |
Coach Years4: | 1990 |
Coach Team4: | Toronto Argonauts (assistant) |
Coach Years5: | 1991–1992 |
Coach Team5: | Orlando Thunder (OL) |
Coach Years6: | 1992 |
Coach Team6: | Montreal Alouettes (assistant) |
Coach Years7: | 1992–1996 |
Coach Team7: | Edmonton Eskimos (OL) |
Coach Years8: | 1997 |
Coach Team8: | Winnipeg Blue Bombers (AHC) |
Coach Years9: | 1997–1998 |
Coach Team9: | San Diego Chargers (TE) |
Coach Years10: | 1999–2006 |
Coach Team10: | Edmonton Eskimos (OL) |
Coach Years11: | 2008 |
Coach Team11: | Toronto Argonauts (OL) |
Coach Years12: | 2010 |
Coach Team12: | Edmonton Huskies |
Coach Years13: | 2011 |
Coach Team13: | Saskatchewan Roughriders (RB) |
Coach Years14: | 2012–2013 |
Coach Team14: | Spruce Grove Panthers (RB) |
Coach Years15: | 2013–2015 |
Coach Team15: | Ottawa (OL) |
Coach Years16: | 2016 |
Coach Team16: | Alberta (OL) |
Overall Record: | 66–59–3 |
Bill MacDermott (May 14, 1936 – May 5, 2016) was an American gridiron football coach. He played college football at Trinity College. After graduating from Trinity, he spent the next 50 years as a football coach at the college and professional levels. He was the head football coach at Wesleyan University from 1971 to 1986 and has also held coaching positions with Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, the Orlando Thunder, San Diego Chargers, Montreal Alouettes, Winnipeg Blue Bombers, Toronto Argonauts, and Edmonton Eskimos.
A native of Providence, Rhode Island, MacDermott graduated in 1960 from Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut. He began his coaching career in 1961 at Hopkins School in New Haven, Connecticut. He spent six years as the football and wrestling coach at the Hopkins School. From 1966 to 1970, he was an assistant football coach at Wesleyan University in Middletown, Connecticut. He was named Wesleyan's head football coach in December 1970 following the retirement of Don Russell.[1] He continued to hold that position through the 1986 season.[2] In 16 years as the head coach at Wesleyan, MacDermott compiled a record of 66–59–3.[3] His 66 wins rank him third among all head coaches in the history of the Wesleyan football program.[3] During his tenure at Wesleyan, MacDermott coached Bill Belichick, who would himself go on to have a distinguished coaching career in the NFL. MacDermott also served as the wrestling coach at Wesleyan.
MacDermott has also been a football coach for Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, the Orlando Thunder (World League) and the San Diego Chargers (tight ends coach from 1997 to 1998). He later coached in the Canadian Football League for the Montreal Alouettes, Winnipeg Blue Bombers, Toronto Argonauts, and Edmonton Eskimos.[4] [5] In 2010, he took over as the head coach of the Edmonton Huskies. MacDermott died of congestive heart failure on May 5, 2016, in Edmonton.[6]