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Miami’s famed ‘Cradle of Coaches’ to be featured in documentary
August 14, 2025
Miami University’s famous “Cradle of Coaches” is about to become more well known across the country.
The latest recognition for the school’s unique and rich history as the nation’s birthplace of some of America’s most storied NFL and college football coaches will soon be featured in a first-ever documentary, said Miami officials.
The “Cradle of Coaches” documentary will premiere in spring 2026.
“The Cradle of Coaches represents remarkable achievements, steadfast leadership, and is iconic in the world of football,” said David Sayler, Miami’s director of athletics.
“We are proud that our story is being told in this way and that the legend of the Cradle of Coaches will reach new generations through this documentary,” noted Sayler in the school’s recent announcement.
The school’s football Cradle of Coaches outdoor recognition area is adjacent to Miami’s Yager Stadium, where the football RedHawks play.
The memorial area includes statues of some of the former Miami head football coaches and players, including NFL and collegiate greats Paul Brown — Ohio State University championship coach and NFL championship coach of the Cleveland Browns and founder of the Cincinnati Bengals — Notre Dame University’s Ara Parseghian and Super Bowl champion head coaches John Harbaugh (Baltimore Ravens), Weeb Ewbank (New York Jets) and, most recently, Sean McVay (Los Angeles Rams).
Among all of America’s colleges, only Miami has three Super Bowl championship coaches memorialized on its campus.
According to Miami officials, Bob Kurz, a 1958 Miami graduate and former sports information director, is credited with coining the Cradle of Coaches phrase in 1959 when he was inspired by the success of alumni Paul Dietzel, Parseghian, Brown, and Ewbank, and former Miami coach Sid Gillman.
In 1983, Kurz penned “Miami of Ohio: The Cradle of Coaches,” outlining how Miamians have revolutionized the game of football in both the collegiate and professional ranks.
Several notable football personalities have been interviewed for the project, including Bengals owner Mike Brown, current Bengals coach Zac Taylor, College Football Hall of Fame inductee Lou Holtz, and former Miami and Pittsburgh Steeler quarterback Ben Roethlisberger.
The documentary is a production of Cincinnati-based RESLV, pronounced Resolve.
