In Episode 14 of “In The Front Row with Mike Vaccaro” we once again talk football and are joined by John Bunting. Born in Maine and raised outside of Washington, DC, Bunting was a three-sport athlete in high school. But when he was recruited, it was football that won out over basketball and baseball. Bunting would play for Bill Dooley at North Carolina and eventually became the defensive captain for the Tar Heels playing linebacker from 1969-71. He was named All-ACC in 1971 when he helped lead UNC to their first outright ACC title. From Chapel Hill, Bunting went north when he was drafted in the 10th round by the Philadelphia Eagles. Once again, Bunting was a defensive leader and played for the Eagles for 11 seasons (1972-1982). During his time in Philly, Bunting helped lead the Eagles to the 1981 NFC championship and Super Bowl 15 (losing to the Raiders). After being released in 1982, Bunting played two more years for the Philadelphia Stars of the USFL, a team he would eventually be an assistant coach for after their move to Baltimore. Coaching would be his second act and lead him to a Super Bowl title in 2000 with the St. Louis Rams and eventually back to his alma mater as head coach in 2000. Bunting shares his stories of coaches such as Dick Vermeil and Marty Schottenheimer, and how he started Bill Cowher on his Hall of Fame coaching career.
