Wayne Fontes
| Position: | Defensive back |
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| Personal information | |
| Date of birth: | February 2, 1940 |
| Place of birth: | New Bedford, Massachusetts |
| Career information | |
| College: | Michigan State |
| Career history | |
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| As coach: | |
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| Career highlights and awards | |
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| Head coaching record | |
| Regular season: | 66–67 (.496) |
| Postseason: | 1–4 (.200) |
| Career: | 67–71 (.486) |
Wayne Fontes (born February 2, 1940) is a former American football coach and college and professional football player who was the head coach of the National Football League's Detroit Lions from 1988 to 1996. His 67 wins and 71 losses are each the most for a head coach in team history.
Fontes was born in the fishing community of New Bedford, Massachusetts. According to the 1930 US Census, his mother, Matilda Fontes, was born in Wareham, Massachusetts. His father, Caetano Fontes, was Portuguese, born in Cape Verde, a Portuguese colony at the time. Fontes grew up in Canton, Ohio where he played football, basketball, and baseball at McKinley High School. He attended Michigan State University and graduated in 1962. After he was taken in the ninth round of the 1961 NFL Draft by the Philadelphia Eagles, Fontes played one year for the New York Titans of the American Football League. Fontes played nine games for the Titans in the 1962 season as a defensive back, recording four interceptions. He returned one interception 83 yards for a touchdown, a franchise record that would stand for 27 years.
After playing one season for the Titans, he injured his posterior cruciate ligament, and returned to MSU to obtain a Master's degree. He became an assistant coach at MSU in 1963. He then coached high school football and basketball at Bay City, Michigan's Visitation HS for two years losing only two games in his first year in 1964, and his team was undefeated in his second year in 1965, winning their league championship. He later left for the University of Dayton to serve under head coach John McVay. He also served as an assistant coach at the University of Iowa and Southern California. He ultimately developed a close relationship with John McKay after working under his wing at USC, and went on to work as the defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 1982–1984.
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