Popular former Newport Harbor High football coach Mike Giddings, who started a successful NFL player evaluation service in 1977, died July 27 at age 89.
Giddings, who lived most of his life in Newport Beach, is survived by his son, Mike, and daughters Jacqui and Vicki. He is preceded in death by their mother, Donna. There will be a celebration of life in November.
Giddings, born on Nov. 16, 1933, at St. Vincent Hospital in Los Angeles, was considered the best-kept secret in the NFL for his innovative, decades-long evaluation service, Proscout, Inc.
“He’s invisible,” NFL historian, author and Pro Football Journal blogger John Turney said of Giddings in 2020, adding that he’s deserving of the Pro Football Hall of Fame as a special contributor. “Proscout doesn’t even have a website as far as I know. Nobody knows who they are, except the teams that subscribe to their service, and they always limited (the number of teams they serve) to half the teams.
“If there are 32 teams, then at the most he’ll serve 16,” Turney said. “If everybody can get it, then nobody has an advantage, and he wants his clients to have the advantage of his experience.”
When Giddings launched his business, it was mostly to evaluate players at the bottom of NFL rosters to find the best value for his teams, but since the NFL player free agency started, Proscout has become an even more valuable source for NFL teams.
Giddings’ son, Mike, has operated the business for several years.
Giddings was often the tie-breaker for teams deciding on an available player to sign to fill an immediate need, which happens often in the NFL.
In 1976, the Denver Broncos hired Giddings as director of pro scouting, as well as the offensive line coach, so Denver Coach John Ralston could get the inside scoop from Giddings about top-tier World Football League players and highly rated NFL cuts who might be available. Giddings served as head coach and general manager of The Hawaiians in the…
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