Former Jaguars DC and Hall of Famer Dick Jauron Passes Away
Dick Jauron, the 2015 College Football Hall of Fame who starred as running back at Yale from 1970-72, passed away Feb. 8. He was 74.
Jauron was the first-ever defensive coordinator for the Jacksonville Jaguars. He coached alongside Tom Coughlin in those inaugural years, before going on to lead the Chicago Bears to the playoffs.
"We are deeply saddened by the passing of Dick Jauron, a true gentleman and an exceptional football mind," said NFF Chairman Archie Manning. "As a College Football Hall of Famer, an NFF National Scholar-Athlete, and one of the greatest running backs in Ivy League history, Dick embodied the highest ideals of our game—excellence on the field, in the classroom, and in life. His impact extended well beyond his playing days, as he became a respected coach and leader in the NFL. We send our heartfelt condolences to his family, friends, and all those who were fortunate enough to know him."
A three-time First Team All-Ivy selection, Jauron led the Bulldogs in rushing all three seasons, amassing 2,947-career yards, which remained a school record until 2000. Named the team's MVP in 1972, his standout senior year included First Team All-American recognition and winning the Asa S. Bushnell Cup as the league's Player of the Year.
Playing under College Football Hall of Fame coach Carm Cozza, Jauron also set school records for consecutive 100-yard rushing games with five and career 100-yard rushing games with 16. Named the Outstanding Player in New England in 1972, he also received the Nils V. "Swede" Nelson Award for sportsmanship as a junior, and he played in the 1973 East-West Shrine Game.
Jauron excellence extended to the classroom, and he was named an NFF National Scholar-Athlete in 1972 as only the third Bulldog to achieve the honor.
Taken in the fourth round of the 1973 NFL Draft by the Detroit Lions, Jauron spent five seasons with the Lions and three with the Cincinnati Bengals. He was named to the 1974 Pro Bowl in his second season after leading the NFC in punt return average.
After his playing career, the Swampscott, Mass., native turned to coaching, spending 28 seasons in the NFL as a defensive backs coach, defensive coordinator or head coach. Jauron served as head coach of the Chicago Bears, where he was named AP Coach of the Year in 2001, and the Buffalo Bills.
Born Oct. 7, 1950, in Peoria, Illinois, Jauron got his start, playing football at Swampscott High School in Massachusetts.
