Fred George "Mad Dog" Whittingham (February 4, 1939 – October 27, 2003) was an American football player and coach.
He played as a linebacker in the National Football League (NFL) for the Los Angeles Rams, Philadelphia Eagles, New Orleans Saints, and Dallas Cowboys.
He had a troubled youth and missed half of his senior season, which scared schools away, even though he was considered one of the best athletes in the New England area.
He won the 1958 Intermountain Heavyweight Championship and the Regional Golden Gloves competition in Las Vegas, receiving offers to turn professional.
In 1959, he decided to transfer to Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, before facing the possibility of being expelled after incurring in violations to the school's conduct code.
During his college career, he also competed in track and field, finishing third in the discus and the shot put events in the 1961 California Collegiate Athletic Association Championships.
Whittingham was selected by the New Orleans Saints in the 1967 NFL Expansion Draft,[5] becoming the franchise's first starting middle linebacker.
In 1968, he was named the NFL defensive player of the week, after playing a key role in an upset against the Minnesota Vikings.
In 1972, as the first-year head coach of the Alhambra (CA) Moors, Whittingham led the team to an 8-1 record and into a pre-CIF playoff game.
He continued in that position until 2001 when he was fired by coach Ron McBride, at which time he encouraged his son to stay on as the defensive coordinator.
His oldest son Kyle Whittingham played in the NFL and became the football head coach for the University of Utah.