players strike that lasted 57 days. Malavasi was then fired after five seasons. Rams owner Georgia Frontiere, who had taken over the team following the death of her husband Carroll Rosenbloom in 1979, hired former USC head coach John Robinson for the 1983 season. Bringing a host of former Trojan assistants with him, Robinson installed his trademark running game that worked perfectly with the Rams' powerful offensive line and explosive running back Eric Dickerson. Robinson led the Rams to playoff appearances in six of the next seven seasons, including an NFC West title in 1985 as well as reaching the NFC Championship Games in 1985 and 1989. But back-to-back losing seasons in 1990 and 1991 doomed Robinson, who stepped down after a 3-13 campaign. Robinson ended his NFL career with the most wins (79) in Rams franchise history. Again, the Rams had the opportunity to go with a well-regarded young offensive mind, having interviewed then-San Francisco 49ers offensive coordinator Mike Holmgren. But as her late husband had once done, Georgia Frontiere opted to play it safe by bringing back Chuck Knox, who had just weeks earlier stepped down from coaching the Seattle Seahawks. But Knox was unable to recreate the magic of his earlier tenure with the Rams, as Los Angeles finished 6-10 in 1992 and got progressively worse each following season. Additionally, Frontiere openly flirted with a possible franchise move to St. Louis, and Knox was fired following the Rams' 4-12 finish in 1994. Making a fresh start in St. Louis, former Oregon head coach Rich Brooks was installed as head coach. After struggling to win, Brooks was fired after just two seasons and replaced by Dick Vermeil. The former Philadelphia Eagles head coach, Vermeil had not coached on any level since retiring in 1982. But after two double-digit loss seasons, Vermeil shepherded the Rams to remarkable turnaround in 1999. Led by the arrival of running back Marshall Faulk and the emergence of quarterback Kurt Warner, the St. Louis Rams took the NFL by storm and went on to win Super Bowl XXXIV 23-16 over the Tennessee Titans. Vermeil then retired and was succeeded by his offensive coordinator Mike Martz, who would ultimately lead the Rams back to the Super Bowl. But after being upset 20-17 by the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XXXVI and then losing to the Carolina Panthers in double overtime during the 2003 NFC