Former Buffalo Bills head coach Dick Jauron passed away at the age of 74 on Saturday morning.
Jauron served as the team's 14th head coach from 2006 – 2009. Jauron also began his coaching career with Buffalo in 1985 as a defensive backs coach under Hank Bullough.
"I was very fortunate to start my NFL career with Dick Jauron as my first head coach," said Eric Wood, a former Bills center who was drafted in the first round by Jauron in 2009. "He set a great foundation for my career with his extensive knowledge of the NFL game and helped us develop as professionals both on and off the field. Coach Jauron was a sincere and thoughtful family man and a true gentleman. My heart goes out to his family during this difficult time."
Coach Jauron was also known for his time a legendary high school football, basketball and baseball player in Swampscott, MA where he was named one of the top 10 high school football players in Massachusetts history by the Boston Globe. He went on to have a historic playing career at Yale as a running back and was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2015. He played defensive back in the NFL from 1973-1980 with the Detroit Lions (1973-77) and Cincinnati Bengals (1978-80). In 1974, he was named to the Pro Bowl after leading the NFC in punt return average with the Lions.
Jauron was named the AP Coach of the Year in 2001 as the head coach of the Chicago Bears.
