Cris Edward Dishman (born August 13, 1965) is an

American football American football (referred to simply as football in the United States and Canada), also known as gridiron, is a team sport played by two teams of eleven players on a rectangular field with goalposts at each end. The offense, the team with ...

coach and former

cornerback A cornerback (CB) is a member of the defensive backfield or secondary in gridiron football. Cornerbacks cover receivers most of the time, but also blitz and defend against such offensive running plays as sweeps and reverses. They create tur ...

who is the

defensive coordinator A defensive coordinator is a coach responsible for a gridiron football (American football) team's defense. Generally, the defensive coordinator, the offensive coordinator and the special teams coordinator represent the second level of a team's c ...

for the

Vegas Vipers The Vegas Vipers are a professional American football team based in Las Vegas, Nevada. The team is an owned-and-operated member of the XFL (2020), XFL, owned by RedBird Capital, Dwayne Johnson and Dany Garcia's Alpha Acquico, LLC. The team beg ...

of the XFL. He played for the

Houston Oilers The Houston Oilers were a professional American football team that played in Houston from its founding in 1960 to 1996 before relocating to Memphis, and later Nashville, Tennessee becoming the Tennessee Titans. The Oilers began play in 1960 as ...

, the

Kansas City Chiefs The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Chiefs compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) West division. The tea ...

, the

Minnesota Vikings The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the National Football Conference (NFC) North division. Founded in 1960 as an expansion ...

, and the

Washington Redskins The Washington Commanders are a professional American football team based in the Washington metropolitan area. The Commanders compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) N ...

during his thirteen-year career from 1988 to 2000 in the

National Football League The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league that consists of 32 teams, divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The NFL is one of the ...

Early career

Dishman attended St. Francis DeSales High School where he was two time Kentucky All-State in 1981 and 1982. Dishman played

college football College football (french: Football universitaire) refers to gridiron football played by teams of student athletes. It was through college football play that American football rules first gained popularity in the United States. Unlike most ...

Purdue University Purdue University is a public land-grant research university in West Lafayette, Indiana, and the flagship campus of the Purdue University system. The university was founded in 1869 after Lafayette businessman John Purdue donated land and money ...

, where he was named to the All-

Big Ten The Big Ten Conference (stylized B1G, formerly the Western Conference and the Big Nine Conference) is the oldest Division I collegiate athletic conference in the United States. Founded as the Intercollegiate Conference of Faculty Representati ...

team in 1987. He also ran

track Track or Tracks may refer to: Routes or imprints * Ancient trackway, any track or trail whose origin is lost in antiquity * Animal track, imprints left on surfaces that an animal walks across * Desire path, a line worn by people taking the shorte ...

for the

Boilermakers A boilermaker is a tradesperson who fabricates steel, iron, or copper into boilers and other large containers intended to hold hot gas or liquid, as well as maintains and repairs boilers and boiler systems.Bureau of Labor Statistics, US Dep ...

, running the

200-meter dash The 200 metres, or 200-meter dash, is a sprint running event. On an outdoor 400 metre racetrack, the race begins on the curve and ends on the home straight, so a combination of techniques is needed to successfully run the race. A slightl ...

and

400-meter dash The 400 metres, or 400-meter dash, is a sprint event in track and field competitions. It has been featured in the athletics programme at the Summer Olympics since 1896 for men and since 1964 for women. On a standard outdoor running track, it is on ...

. He graduated in 1988 with a degree in

criminal justice Criminal justice is the delivery of justice to those who have been accused of committing crimes. The criminal justice system is a series of government agencies and institutions. Goals include the Rehabilitation (penology), rehabilitation of o ...

. Dishman was selected in the 5th round with the 125th pick of the

1988 NFL Draft The 1988 NFL draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 24–25, 1988, at the Marriot Marq ...

by the Houston Oilers. In Dishman's first season with the Oilers, he played 15 of the 16 games, and finished the season without an

interception In ball-playing competitive team sports, an interception or pick is a move by a player involving a pass of the ball—whether by foot or hand, depending on the rules of the sport—in which the ball is intended for a player of the same team b ...

. However, Dishman did score a touchdown during a game against the

Philadelphia Eagles The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia. The Eagles compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East division. The team plays ...

, when

Eugene Seale Eugene Seale, Jr. (born June 3, 1964) is a former professional American football linebacker in the National Football League. He played six seasons for the Houston Oilers (1987–1992). In college, he played for Lamar University for the Lamar Ca ...

blocked a punt attempt and Dishman ran it into the

end zone The end zone is the scoring area on the field, according to gridiron-based codes of football. It is the area between the end line and goal line bounded by the sidelines. There are two end zones, each being on an opposite side of the field. ...

. During the 1989 season, he played all 16 games and racked up 4 interceptions. By the end of his first two seasons in the league, he also blocked two punts and a

field goal A field goal (FG) is a means of scoring in gridiron football. To score a field goal, the team in possession of the ball must place kick, or drop kick, the ball through the goal, i.e., between the uprights and over the crossbar. The entire ba ...

, along with his

special teams In American football, the specific role that a player takes on the field is referred to as their "position". Under the modern rules of American football, both teams are allowed 11 players on the field at one time and have "unlimited free substitu ...

touchdown. In 1990, with the addition of new

head coach A head coach, senior coach or manager is a professional at training and developing athletes. They typically hold a more public profile and are paid more than other coaches. In some sports, the head coach is instead called the "manager", as in assoc ...

Jack Pardee John Perry Pardee (April 19, 1936 – April 1, 2013) was an American football linebacker and the only head coach to helm a team in college football, the National Football League (NFL), the United States Football League (USFL), the World Footbal ...

, Dishman was moved to the starting left cornerback position, and finished the season with 4 interceptions. His best season as a pro came during the 1991 NFL season. During this season, Dishman had a seven-game stretch where he forced at least one turnover in each contest. The streak started in week 2 against the

Cincinnati Bengals The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional American football team based in Cincinnati. The Bengals compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) AFC North, North division. The c ...

. On the opening drive, Dishman tackled tight end Rodney Hollman at the goal line, forcing a

fumble A fumble in gridiron football occurs when a player who has possession and control of the ball loses it before being downed (tackled), scoring, or going out of bounds. By rule, it is any act other than passing, kicking, punting, or successful ...

on the Bengals' opening drive. The next time the Oilers faced the Bengals during week nine, Dishman picked off a

Boomer Esiason Norman Julius "Boomer" Esiason (; born April 17, 1961) is an American former professional football player who was a quarterback in the National Football League (NFL) for 14 seasons, primarily with the Cincinnati Bengals. He was selected in the ...

pass to mark the seventh straight game in which he forced a turnover. He ended the season with six interceptions, three fumble recoveries (one of which he returned for a touchdown), and two forced fumbles. This led to him being selected for the 1992 Pro Bowl, his only Pro Bowl appearance. After the season, he began a holdout, which did not end until September 11, 1992, when he signed a two-year contract. Dishman's production for the 1992 season went down, as he only notched three interceptions for the season. Dishman's 1993 season, however, started off very productively, with the help of new

Buddy Ryan James David "Buddy" Ryan (February 17, 1931 – June 28, 2016) was an American football coach in the National Football League (NFL) and American Football League (AFL). During his 35-season coaching career, Ryan served as the head coach of the ...

. In the second game of the season against the Chiefs, Dishman had a 58-yard touchdown run after taking the ball from

tight end The tight end (TE) is a position in American football, arena football, and Canadian football, on the offense. The tight end is often a hybrid position with the characteristics and roles of both an offensive lineman and a wide receiver. Like ...

Mike Dyal. He finished the 1993 season having tied a career-high with six interceptions, forced a career-high four fumbles, and managed an interception in four consecutive games. He notched four interceptions while returning one for a touchdown in 1994, and also managed three during the 1995 season. As a result of his efforts and his contract winding down, Dishman was selected as the

franchise player In professional sports, a franchise player is an athlete who is both the best player on their team and one that the team can build their " franchise" around for the foreseeable future. Overview In the United States, outstanding players were ref ...

for the 1996 season. In fact, the $2.5 million he made during the 1996 season was the second highest among cornerbacks behind

Rod Woodson Roderick Kevin Woodson (born March 10, 1965) is an American former professional football defensive back in the National Football League (NFL) for 17 seasons. He is currently the Head Coach of the XFL's Vegas Vipers. Woodson was drafted in the ...

. However, Dishman finished the season with only one pick. After this performance and being frustrated by losses, as well as the move to

Nashville Nashville is the capital city of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the seat of Davidson County. With a population of 689,447 at the 2020 U.S. census, Nashville is the most populous city in the state, 21st most-populous city in the U.S., and the ...

, Dishman filed for

free agency In professional sports, a free agent is a player who is eligible to sign with other clubs or franchises; i.e., not under contract to any specific team. The term is also used in reference to a player who is under contract at present but who is ...

after the 1996 season.

Later career

After Dishman was granted free agency, the

became interested in signing him as an insurance policy should Tom Carter or

Darrell Green Darrell Ray Green (born February 15, 1960) is an American former professional football player who was a cornerback in the National Football League (NFL) for the Washington Redskins from 1983 to 2002. He is widely considered to be one of the gr ...

sign elsewhere. Carter eventually signed with the

Chicago Bears The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago. The Bears compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) North division. The Bears have won nine NF ...

, and Cris Dishman was signed to a four-year contract, with the Oilers not making a counteroffer. He platooned with cornerback Darrell Green to become one of the better duos in the NFL. He finished the season with four interceptions, including bringing one back for a touchdown. As a result, he was named an alternate for the

1998 Pro Bowl The 1998 Pro Bowl was the NFL's all-star game for the 1997 season. The game was played on February 1, 1998, at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii. The final score was AFC 29, NFC 24. Warren Moon of the Seattle Seahawks, invited to participate ...

, and was selected to the 1997 All-Madden team. However, after a disappointing 1998 season and subsequent release, he signed with the Kansas City Chiefs after an impressive workout, filling the void left by

Dale Carter Dale Lavelle Carter (born November 28, 1969) is a former American football cornerback in the National Football League. He played for the Kansas City Chiefs, Denver Broncos, Minnesota Vikings, New Orleans Saints, and Baltimore Ravens. Professio ...

. His best game for the Chiefs came on November 28, 1999 against the

Oakland Raiders The Oakland Raiders were a professional American football team that played in Oakland from its founding in 1960 to 1981 and again from 1995 to 2019 before relocating to the Las Vegas metropolitan area where they now play as the Las Vegas Raide ...

. In this game, Dishman had two defensive touchdowns, one on an interception, and the other on a fumble. Despite five interceptions on the season, Dishman was released by the Chiefs. During the off-season, he signed with the Minnesota Vikings. After playing eleven games for the Vikings, he was cut, and subsequently retired. His release came three weeks after he was embarrassed on ''

Monday Night Football ''ESPN Monday Night Football'' (abbreviated as ''MNF'' and also known as ''ESPN Monday Night Football on ABC'' for simulcasts) is an American live television broadcast of weekly National Football League (NFL) games currently airing on ESPN, AB ...

'' by an improbable

Antonio Freeman Antonio Michael Freeman (born May 27, 1972) is a former American football wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL), most notably for the Green Bay Packers. He attended the Baltimore Polytechnic Institute and Virginia Tech. College ...

touchdown catch during

overtime Overtime is the amount of time someone works beyond normal working hours. The term is also used for the pay received for this time. Normal hours may be determined in several ways: *by custom (what is considered healthy or reasonable by society) ...

. Dishman raised his arms in victory believing he had broken up the pass, thus allowing Freeman to run untouched into the end zone. After retiring, Dishman became a football

coach Coach may refer to: Guidance/instruction * Coach (sport), a director of athletes' training and activities * Coaching, the practice of guiding an individual through a process ** Acting coach, a teacher who trains performers Transportation * Co ...

. He started off by taking part in the NFL's Minority Coaching Fellowship program. During the 2006 Miami Dolphins season, Dishman spent

training camp A training camp is an organized period in which military personnel or athletes participate in a rigorous and focused schedule of training in order to learn or improve skills. Athletes typically utilise training camps to prepare for upcoming events, ...

as a coach for the Dolphins, alongside Eric Green and

Cornell Brown Cornell Desmond Brown (born March 15, 1975) is a former American college and professional football player who was a linebacker in the National Football League (NFL) for seven seasons. He played college football for Virginia Tech, and earned ...

. Shortly afterward, Dishman became the defensive backs coach for

Menlo College Menlo College is a private college specializing in business and is located in Atherton, California. Campus Menlo College is situated on 45-acre (0.18 km2) campus in Atherton, California, 25 miles southeast of San Francisco and 20 miles nort ...

in 2006, and currently holds the position of defensive coordinator, which he was awarded on February 15, 2007. He spent the summer of 2007 again as part of the minority coaching fellowship, this time as a coach for the

. On January 21, 2009, Dishman was hired by the

San Diego Chargers The San Diego Chargers were a professional American football team that played in San Diego from 1961 until the end of the 2016 season, before relocating to Los Angeles, where the franchise had played its inaugural 1960 season. The team is now ...

as an assistant defensive backs coach, helping out newly acquired secondary coach

Steven Wilks Steven Bernard Wilks (born August 8, 1969) is an American football coach and former player who is the interim head coach for the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League (NFL). He previously served as the head coach for the Arizona Ca ...

. On January 14, 2015 Dishman joined the

Baylor University Baylor University is a private Baptist Christian research university in Waco, Texas. Baylor was chartered in 1845 by the last Congress of the Republic of Texas. Baylor is the oldest continuously operating university in Texas and one of the fir ...

football staff coaching Safeties. On May 20, 2018 Dishman joined the

Montreal Alouettes The Montreal Alouettes (Canadian French, French: Les Alouettes de Montréal) are a professional Canadian football team based in Montreal, Quebec. Founded in 1946, the team has folded and been revived twice. The Alouettes compete in the Canadian F ...

as part of the Canadian Football League

CFL The Canadian Football League (CFL; french: Ligue canadienne de football—LCF) is a professional sports league in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football. The league consists of nine teams, each located in a ci ...

to coach Defensive Backs. On June 1, 2019, Dishman was named the defensive backs coach for the

New York Guardians The Orlando Guardians are a professional American football team based in Orlando, Florida. The team was founded by Vince McMahon's Alpha Entertainment and is an owned-and-operated member of the XFL. The Guardians played their home games at MetLi ...

of the

XFL XFL may refer to: Sports * XFL (2001), a defunct American football league that played its only season in 2001 * XFL (2020), a professional American football league Vehicles * Bell XFL Airabonita, a 1940 U.S. Navy experimental interceptor aircra ...

. On July 1, 2020, Dishman was named the defensive backs coach for

IMG Academy IMG Academy is a preparatory boarding school and sports training destination in Bradenton, Florida, United States. IMG Academy is set across over 600 acres and features programs consisting of sport camps for youth athletes, adult camps, a board ...

in Bradenton, FL. In March of 2022, Dishman was named the defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach for the

New Jersey Generals The New Jersey Generals were a franchise of the United States Football League (USFL) established in 1982 to begin play in the spring and summer of 1983. The team played three seasons from 1983 to 1985, winning 31 regular season games and losing ...

of the

USFL The United States Football League (USFL) was a professional American football league that played for three seasons, 1983 through 1985. The league played a spring/summer schedule in each of its active seasons. The 1986 season was scheduled to be ...

. Dishman was officially hired by the

on September 13, 2022

References

External links

Cris Dishman at JT-SWSan Diego Chargers bio
{{DEFAULTSORT:Dishman, Cris 1965 births Living people Players of American football from Louisville, Kentucky American football cornerbacks Purdue Boilermakers football players Houston Oilers players Washington Redskins players Kansas City Chiefs players Minnesota Vikings players Berlin Thunder coaches Menlo Oaks football coaches San Diego Chargers coaches Baylor Bears football coaches Montreal Alouettes coaches New York Guardians coaches American Conference Pro Bowl players Sportspeople from Louisville, Kentucky New Jersey Generals (2022) coaches