Bobby Bowden, the famed college football coach who led Florida State University for over 30 years and transformed the Tallahassee team into a powerhouse, died Sunday, the school said in a statement. He was 91.
Bowden “passed peacefully” at his home, according to a statement from his daughter given to the Tallahassee Democrat newspaper.
In July, Bowden was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.
Florida A&M University (FAMU) President Larry Robinson, Ph.D., issued the following statement on the passing of Coach Bobby Bowden: “The FAMU community joins Florida State University and the nation in mourning the loss of Coach Bobby Bowden,” Robinson said. “Coach Bowden built character and provided opportunities for young people to become their best. He inspired us all. His life and legacy are indeed worthy of celebrating.”
“I’ve always tried to serve God’s purpose for my life, on and off the field, and I am prepared for what is to come,” Bowden said in a statement last month. “My wife Ann and our family have been life’s greatest blessing. I am at peace.”
Under Bowden’s steady coaching leadership, FSU became one of the dominant teams of the 1990s, winning nine straight conference titles, and National Championships in 1993 and 1999. In particular, the 1999 team entered the preseason ranked as the country’s best and stayed there until the end, going a perfect 12-0 on the season.
In 2011, Bowden revealed he was secretly treated for prostate cancer in 2007 while he was still coaching.
“I wasn’t ashamed of it,” Bowden said in an appearance on CNN explaining why he did not reveal the disease sooner. “I didn’t want it to get out because I didn’t want my opponents to use it against me.”
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