Kay Stephenson

{{Short description|American gridiron football player and coach (born 1944)}}

{{Infobox NFL biography

| name = Kay Stephenson

| image =

| alt =

| caption =

| number = 18

| position = Quarterback

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1944|12|17|mf=y}}

| birth_place = DeFuniak Springs, Florida, U.S.

| death_date =

| death_place =

| height_ft = 6

| height_in = 1

| weight_lbs = 210

| high_school = Pensacola (Pensacola, Florida)

| college = Florida

| undraftedyear = 1967

| pastteams =

| pastcoaching =

Los Angeles Rams (1977)
Quarterbacks coach
Buffalo Bills (1978–1982)
Quarterbacks coach
Buffalo Bills (1983–1985)
Head coach
Sacramento Surge (1991–1992)
Head coach
Sacramento Gold Miners (1993–1994)
Head coach
San Antonio Texans (1995)
Head coach
Arkansas Razorbacks (1997)
Offensive coordinator, running backs coach
Edmonton Eskimos (1998)
Head coach

| coachregrecord = NFL: {{Winning percentage|10|26|record=y}}
CFL: {{Winning percentage|36|35|1|record=y}}
WLAF: {{Winning percentage|11|9|record=y}}

| coachplayoffrecord = CFL: {{Winning percentage|2|2|record=y}}
WLAF: {{Winning percentage|2|0|record=y}}

| coachrecord = NFL: {{Winning percentage|10|26|record=y}}
CFL: {{Winning percentage|38|37|1|record=y}}
WLAF: {{Winning percentage|13|9|record=y}}

| highlights =

World Bowl champion (II)

| pfr = StepKa00

| pfrcoach = StepKa0

}}

George Kay Stephenson (born December 17, 1944) is an American former professional football player and coach, whose latter career has seen him work in four different leagues. Stephenson played quarterback for the American Football League's San Diego Chargers and Buffalo Bills. He finished his playing career in 1974 in the World Football League with the Jacksonville Sharks before entering the coaching ranks.

Early life

Stephenson was born in DeFuniak Springs, Florida, in 1944, and grew up in nearby Pensacola. He attended Pensacola High School, and he earned All-State accolades as a quarterback. He accepted an athletic scholarship to attend the University of Florida, where he played college football for coach Ray Graves' Florida Gators teams from 1964 to 1966.[http://web.gatorzone.com/football/media/2011/media_guide.pdf 2011 Florida Gators Football Media Guide] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120402035222/http://web.gatorzone.com/football/media/2011/media_guide.pdf |date=April 2, 2012 }}, University Athletic Association, Gainesville, Florida, p. 185 (2011). Retrieved August 31, 2011. His arrival on the Florida campus coincided with that of another standout recruit, Steve Spurrier, who became the starting quarterback in 1964, and who won the Heisman Trophy in 1966. Stephenson remained a backup.

Stephenson graduated from Florida with a bachelor's degree in physical education in 1967.

Professional football coaching career

After serving as a quarterbacks coach the previous season, Stephenson succeeded Chuck Knox as Buffalo Bills head coach on February 3, 1983.[http://heinonline.org/HOL/Page?handle=hein.bills/rltls0001&id=314&collection=bills At a Glance: 1983], Relentless: The Hard-Hitting History of Buffalo Bills Football, Sal Maiorana, 1994[http://www.buffalobills.com/team/history/important-dates-february.html The Month of February In Bills History] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090313065557/http://www.buffalobills.com/team/history/important-dates-february.html |date=March 13, 2009 }} Stephenson was reportedly surprised to get the job, claiming that Bills owner Ralph Wilson "never explained his reasons for selecting me." Under Stephenson, the Bills went 8–8 in 1983,[http://www.billsbackers.com/1983.htm 1983 Buffalo Bills] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080821003210/http://www.billsbackers.com/1983.htm |date=August 21, 2008 }}, History of Pro Football in Western New York 2–14 in 1984,[http://www.billsbackers.com/1984.htm 1984 Buffalo Bills] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081012214211/http://www.billsbackers.com/1984.htm |date=October 12, 2008 }}, History of Pro Football in Western New York and after they lost their first four games in 1985, Stephenson was replaced by Hank Bullough. Perhaps the most lasting impression that Stephenson left on the Bills was changing their helmet color from white to red prior to the 1984 season, insisting that the change would aid Buffalo quarterbacks in finding receivers downfield. At the time, three of the Bills' four division rivals, the New England Patriots, Indianapolis Colts, and Miami Dolphins, wore white helmets. The gambit didn't work as interceptions actually increased the subsequent season.[https://www.espn.com/espn/page2/story?page=lukas/040909 Fun and Fashion on the Gridiron], Paul Lukas, ESPN.com Page 2

Stephenson also coached in the World League where he led the Sacramento Surge to the 1992 World Bowl championship, and in the Canadian Football League he coached the San Antonio Texans and the Edmonton Eskimos.

=Head coaching record=

==NFL==

rowspan="2"\|Team	rowspan="2"\|Year	colspan="5"\|Regular season	colspan="4"\|Postseason
class="wikitable" style="font-size: 95%; text-align:center;"
Won	Lost	Ties	Win %	Finish	Won	Lost	Win %	Result
BUF\|\|1983 \|8\|\|8\|\|0\|\|{{winpct\|8\|8}}\|\|3rd in AFC East\|\| – \|\| – \|\| – \|\| –
BUF\|\|1984 \|2\|\|14\|\|0\|\|{{winpct\|2\|14}}\|\|5th in AFC East\|\| – \|\| – \|\| – \|\| –
BUF\|\|1985 \|0\|\|4\|\|0\|\|{{winpct\|0\|4}}\|\|5th in AFC East\|\| – \|\| – \|\| – \|\| –
colspan="2"\|BUF Total \|\|10\|\|26\|\|0\|\|{{winpct\|10\|26}}\|\| \|\| – \|\| – \|\| – \|\|
colspan="2"\|NFL Total \|\|10\|\|26\|\|0\|\|{{winpct\|10\|26}}\|\| \|\| – \|\| – \|\| – \|\|

==WLAF==

rowspan="2"\|Team	rowspan="2"\|Year	colspan="5"\|Regular season	colspan="4"\|Postseason
class="wikitable" style="font-size: 95%; text-align:center;"
Won	Lost	Ties	Win %	Finish	Won	Lost	Win %	Result
SAC\|\|1991 \|3\|\|7\|\|0\|\|{{winpct\|3\|7}}\|\|3rd in NA West\|\| – \|\| – \|\| – \|\| –
style="background:#FDE910;" !SAC	1992 \|8	2	0	{{winpct\|8\|2}}	1st in NA West	2	0	{{winpct\|2\|0}}	World Bowl II champions
colspan="2"\|SAC Total \|\|11\|\|9\|\|0\|\|{{winpct\|11\|8}}\|\| \|\| 2 \|\| 0 \|\| {{winpct\|2\|0}} \|\|
colspan="2"\|WLAF Total \|\|11\|\|9\|\|0\|\|{{winpct\|11\|8}}\|\| \|\| 2 \|\| 0 \|\| {{winpct\|2\|0}} \|\|

==CFL==

rowspan="2"\|Team	rowspan="2"\|Year	colspan="5"\|Regular season	colspan="4"\|Postseason
class="wikitable" style="font-size: 95%; text-align:center;"
Won	Lost	Ties	Win %	Finish	Won	Lost	Win %	Result
SAC\|\|1993 \|6\|\|12\|\|0\|\|{{winpct\|6\|12}}\|\|5th in CFL West\|\| – \|\| – \|\| – \|\| –
SAC\|\|1994 \|9\|\|8\|\|1\|\|{{winpct\|9\|8\|1}}\|\|5th in CFL West\|\| – \|\| – \|\| – \|\| –
colspan="2"\|SAC Total \|\|15\|\|20\|\|1\|\|{{winpct\|15\|20\|1}}\|\| \|\| – \|\| – \|\| – \|\|
style="background:#fdd;" !SAT	1995 \|12	6	0	{{winpct\|12\|6}}	2nd in CFL South	1	1	{{winpct\|1\|1}}	Lost to Baltimore Stallions in Division Finals
colspan="2"\|SAT Total \|\|12\|\|6\|\|0\|\|{{winpct\|12\|6}}\|\| \|\| 1 \|\| 1 \|\| {{winpct\|1\|1}} \|\|
style="background:#fdd;" !EDM	1998 \|9	9	0	{{winpct\|9\|9}}	2nd in CFL West	1	1	{{winpct\|1\|1}}	Lost to Calgary Stampeders in Division Finals
colspan="2"\|EDM Total \|\|\|9\|\|9\|\|0\|\|{{winpct\|9\|9}}\|\| \|\| 1 \|\| 1 \|\| {{winpct\|1\|1}} \|\|
colspan="2"\|CFL Total \|\|36\|\|35\|\|1\|\|{{winpct\|36\|35\|1}}\|\| \|\| 2 \|\| 2 \|\| {{winpct\|2\|2}} \|\|