Longtime NFL player and coach Dick Jauron has passed away at the age of 74. Jauron, who is remembered for guiding the Chicago Bears to the playoffs and earning the AP Coach of the Year award in 2001, left a significant mark on the league.
The Chicago Bears confirmed his death, which occurred just a day before Philadelphia faced Kansas City in the Super Bowl in New Orleans. This timing added a poignant layer to an already historic event.
Known for his approachable demeanor, Jauron transitioned into coaching after his playing career. He was hired by the Buffalo Bills as a defensive backs coach five years later and later worked with the Green Bay Packers, forming a friendship with Andy Reid, who was then an assistant coach.
In 1995, Tom Coughlin appointed Jauron as the defensive coordinator for the expansion Jacksonville Jaguars. His success there led to his promotion to head coach of the Bears. Over five seasons, he achieved one winning record, leading the NFC North in 2001 but ultimately falling to the Eagles in the playoffs, a team coached by Reid.
After being let go in 2003, Jauron took on the role of defensive coordinator in Detroit, where he briefly served as interim head coach in 2005. He later became head coach of the Buffalo Bills, though he did not achieve a winning record during his tenure.
Jauron concluded his coaching career with a record of 60 wins and 82 losses, along with one playoff appearance over a decade-long journey as a head coach.
His passing comes just two days after the Bears announced the death of Virginia Halas McCaskey, a significant figure in the franchise’s history. McCaskey, who inherited the team from her father, George Halas, was 102 years old.
