Overview
- Michigan State, which confirmed his death Friday, said he was 83 and did not provide a cause.
- He won three championships with the 49ers under Bill Walsh and a fourth with the Packers in 1996 as Mike Holmgren’s offensive coordinator.
- At Michigan State he earned first-team All-American honors and finished third in the 1963 Heisman Trophy voting while also excelling in track.
- His coaching path spanned 14 seasons as a Spartans assistant and NFL coordinator roles with the Packers (1992–99), Vikings (2000–01) and Lions (2003–04), with a final stint as a Washington consultant in 2009.
- He received the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Award of Excellence in 2023 yet was never hired as an NFL head coach despite high-profile endorsements and years before the Rooney Rule required minority interviews.