This Sucks........ Minnesota Vikings offensive line coach and former Miami Dolphins head coach Tony Sparano died unexpectedly Sunday, the team announced. He was 56. Sparano was entering his third season as the Vikings' offensive line coach under Mike Zimmer as part of a 20-year long NFL coaching career that began in 1999 when he was hired as an offensive quality control coach for the new Cleveland Browns franchise. After several assistant coaching jobs with multiple NFL teams, the Dolphins hired Sparano as their head coach in 2008 following the team's 1-15 campaign. He guided the Dolphins to an 11-5 mark and a first-place finish in the AFC East in 2008, becoming the first coach in NFL history to lead a team to the postseason after a one-win season. Sparano posted a 29-32 record in his nearly four seasons with the Dolphins. He served as the Oakland Raiders' interim head coach in 2014 after the team fired Dennis Allen, posting a 3-9 mark. Sparano was born in West Haven, Connecticut, on Oct. 7, 1961. He was a starting center for the University of New Haven, where he played from 1978-81 and helped the NCAA Division II team achieve its first undefeated season in 1979. He is a member of the New Haven Football Hall of Fame. After breaking into the collegiate coaching ranks with his alma mater as an offensive line coach from 1984-87, Sparano spent six seasons at Boston College, where he served as an O-line coach before being promoted to offensive coordinator. He then returned to New Haven in 1994 as the team's head coach, posting a 41-14 record over five seasons before joining the Browns' coaching staff. In addition to the Browns, Dolphins, Raiders and Vikings, Sparano coached with the Redskins, Jaguars, Cowboys, Jets and 49ers during his career. Sparano is survived by his wife Jeanette, his sons Tony and Andrew, his daughter, Ryan Leigh, and his four grandchildren. Around The NFL will have more on Sparano soon.
geez. didn't he have some condition that made him have to wear sunglasses inside? edit: nevermind - it was just a grease accident that caused his eyes to be fucked up. I was thinking it might have been something that lead to the young death.
At first I thought the thread little said Tony Soprano dies and I said, "Good, that show sucked balls, anyway", thinking it was a joke. Probably massive coronary, stroke, or aneurysm, which is pretty much the big three that make you drop like a rock. RIP. It's scary when you're a walking time bomb and you don't know it.
That is now 2 ex Jets OCs(Heimerdinger and Sparano) that have been taken away from this world far too soon. Jets only had him for 1 year but Sparano was a NFL lifer and someone pretty passionate about his profession. Pretty sad news. These head coaches go through so much stress and preparation for the players and fans and organization, it seems like such a tough job altogether. There is so much scrutiny and nausea that goes along with this job with so many media hounds after your head that I don't know how these coaches do it.
Wow, only 56 and gone? I lost my father at 56 too, way too young, sucks. Regards to his family, RIP coach.
i was not a fan of sparano the coach, i however am saddened by a man losing his life way too early. i hope that his family can find peace in what i am sure is a difficult time.
Very sad. Reports are he had chest pains and went to the hospital on Thursday. Drs ran test and released him on Friday. Prayers go out for him and his family.
Shocker Seemed like a nice, homegrown CT guy ..stress and health problems are prob the cause At 56 way too young..prayers to his family Guys..appreciate each day cause ya never know
May God bless his soul. Sad news. R.I.P Tony. https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/...ch-and-former-dolphins-head-coach-dies-at-56/
It is way too young. I feel for you. My dad was 59, and my older brother was 60. Both had heart disease.
I honestly thought he was an up and coming great HC after his first season in Miami. While he didn't become that, he clearly lived and breathed football. Another one gone too soon. RIP, Tony.
