West Coast offense

This article is about the American football strategy. For the California, Oregon, Washington states abortion rights coalition, see West Coast offensive.

The West Coast offense is an offensive scheme in American football that places a greater emphasis on high percentage, horizontal passing than on the deep pass or running. The offense typically relies on the short passing game to gain first downs, and instead allows the receiver to gain the majority of the yards after the catch.

There are two similar but distinct National Football League (NFL) offensive strategic systems that are commonly referred to as "West Coast offenses". Originally, the term referred to the unrelated Air Coryell system popularized by Don Coryell with the San Diego Chargers. Following a journalistic error, however, it now more commonly refers to the offensive system invented by Bill Walsh while he was the offensive coordinator for the Cincinnati Bengals in the 1970s. The offense is characterized by short, horizontal passing routes in lieu of running plays to "stretch out" defenses, opening up the potential for long runs or long passes. It was popularized and perfected when Walsh was the head coach of the San Francisco 49ers from 1979 to 1988.

The Bill Walsh coaching tree has led to several future NFL coaches adapting aspects of the West Coast offense, including George Seifert, Mike Holmgren, Mike Sherman, Steve Mariucci, Andy Reid, Jon Gruden, Dennis Green, and Mike Shanahan, among others. NFL players notable for executing the West Coast offense include Virgil Carter, Joe Montana, Jerry Rice, Steve Young, Donovan McNabb, Terrell Owens, Rich Gannon, and Tim Brown.

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