Bill Walsh - Hall of Fame football coach dies at 75

The former San Francisco 49ers head coach Bill Walsh died on Monday at the age of 75.

Bill Walsh - Hall of Fame football coach dies at 75 After a long battle with cancer Bill Walsh, 75, passed away on Monday. Walsh's health was failing in the past few months, the famous coach suffering from leukemia. Although he was diagnosed in 2004, he kept his condition private and did not make it public until last November. At that time Walsh said that he is positive about the outcome and was following a strict diet and regiment approved by his physicians.

Bill Walsh started his football coaching career in Washington High School in Fremont. Later he was an assistant coach for the Oakland Raiders. In 1968 he moved to the Cincinnati Bengals, where he stayed assistant coach until 1975. On the following year Bill Walsh served as an assistant coach for Tommy Prothro with the San Diego Chargers. In 1977 he started his head football coach career at Stanford, staying there the following 1978.

The legendary football coach became the San Francisco 49ers ticket to fame an years of field dominance, when he took the job in 1979. It was during his 10 years with the 49ers when his coaching staff perfected the style of play known popularly as the West Coast offense. In 1981 and 1984 Bill Walsh was named NFL coach of the year and in 1993 he was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Nicknamed "The Genius" Bill Walsh won three times the Super Bowl - in 1981, 1984 and 1988.

Published on 07/30/2007