Jack Pardee Dies At 76

Jack_PardeeEx-NFL coach Jack Pardee died Monday at the age of 76. Last year, Pardee’s family announced that he had gall bladder cancer and that he had six to nine months to live. The family has established a memorial scholarship fund in Pardee’s name at the University of Houston, where Pardee coached from 1987-89.

In 1975, Pardee was hired by the Chicago Bears as head coach. He spent the next three years there, leading Chicago to their first playoff berth in 14 years in 1977, before moving on to the Washington Redskins. In 1979 he led the Redskins to within 1 game of making the playoffs, but in the season’s final week they blew a 13-point lead to the eventual NFC East champions Dallas Cowboys and missed the playoffs. He was fired after going 6-10 in 1980. In 1981, he was hired as Assistant Head Coach in charge of defense for the San Diego Chargers.

Pardee returned to Houston in 1987, by becoming the head coach at the University of Houston. During his three year stint, the Cougars, utilizing the same offense he coached in the USFL, produced the first ever African-American quarterback to win the Heisman Trophy, Andre Ware. His team also became the first major college team in NCAA history to have over 1,000 total offensive yards in a single game, raking up 1,021 yards while beating SMU, 95–21.

Not long after Pardee’s arrival, however, Houston was slapped with crippling NCAA sanctions due to numerous major violations under his predecessor, Bill Yeoman. Among them, the Cougars were banned from bowl games in 1989 and 1990 and kicked off live television in 1989. As a result, most of the nation never got a chance to see the Cougars set numerous offensive records during the 1989 season.

Pardee and his wife, Phyllis, were married for more than 50 years and have five children and 12 grandchildren.

Funeral arrangements were pending Monday night.

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