Buffalo Rumblings
Jauron led the Bills from 2006 into the 2009 season, and was 74 years old
Former Buffalo Bills head coach Dick Jauron passed away on Saturday morning, the Bills announced today. Jauron was 74 years old.
A native of Peoria, IL, Jauron was hired as the 14th head coach in Buffalo Bills history on January 23, 2006. He replaced Mike Mularkey, who had resigned the position following the conclusion of the 2005 season.
Jauron coached the Bills for just over three seasons, as he was let go by the team following a 41-17 loss at the Tennessee Titans on November 15, 2009. Until Sean McDermott surpassed the milestone, Jauron was the only head coach to be at the helm of the Bills for more than three seasons following the retirement of Hall of Fame Coach Marv Levy, who coincidentally was the general manager who hired Jauron as coach of the Bills.
Jauron had a decorated playing career in college and in the NFL. He was a standout running back at Yale, carrying 515 times for 2,947 yards and 27 touchdowns over three years, all of which ended in First-Team All-Ivy League selections. He was a First-Team All-American in 1972, his final college season.
Jauron was selected in the fourth round of the 1973 NFL Draft by the Detroit Lions, but he was also drafted as a shortstop by the St. Louis Cardinals in the 25th round of the 1973 MLB Draft. He chose to play football, and had a fantastic professional career as a safety in the NFL. He played five years with the Lions and three years with the Cincinnati Bengals, retiring following the 1980 NFL season. In 100 career games, Jauron had 25 interceptions, four sacks, 15 fumble recoveries, and two defensive touchdowns. He was second in voting for AP Rookie of the Year in 1973, and he made his only career Pro Bowl in 1974.
Jauron began his coaching career with a position on the Bills’ staff, serving as defensive backs coach in 1985 under head coach Hank Bullough. Jauron replaced another familiar name, Pete Carroll, in that position.
He left the Bills to serve as the defensive backs coach for the Green Bay Packers in 1986, a position he held through the 1994 season. When his colleague in Green Bay, Tom Coughlin became the first head coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars in 1995, Jauron became the Jags’ inaugural defensive coordinator. He held that position through the 1998 season, so he was on staff when the Jaguars handed the Bills their first playoff loss at Rich Stadium, a 30-27 defeat that also was the last game of Hall of Fame quarterback Jim Kelly’s career.
After three successful seasons as the Jaguars defensive coordinator, Jauron was hired as the head coach of the Chicago Bears, a position he held from 1999-2003. Jauron led the Bears to the playoffs in 2001, leading the team to a 13-3 record, an NFC Central Division Title, and AP Coach of the Year...
