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2016 Football In Memoriam: Remembering the Legends Lost

By Sayre Bedinger

Nov 5, 2016; Columbus, OH, USA; A sign honoring former Nebraska Cornhuskers punter Sam Foltz (27) will greet players on their way to the field for the game against the Ohio State Buckeyes at Ohio Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Greg Bartram-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 5, 2016; Columbus, OH, USA; A sign honoring former Nebraska Cornhuskers punter Sam Foltz (27) will greet players on their way to the field for the game against the Ohio State Buckeyes at Ohio Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Greg Bartram-USA TODAY Sports /
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The year 2016 has been a year full of heartbreaking losses. We remember the football legends that were lost, and remember their impact…

In 2016, it felt like we lost too many beloved athletes and celebrities. We want to commemorate the football players, coaches, and figures that have made an impact not only on the game, but on the lives of many.

Sep 13, 2015; Orchard Park, NY, USA; Former NFL coach Buddy Ryan on the sideline before the game between the Buffalo Bills and the Indianapolis Colts at Ralph Wilson Stadium. Buddy
Sep 13, 2015; Orchard Park, NY, USA; Former NFL coach Buddy Ryan on the sideline before the game between the Buffalo Bills and the Indianapolis Colts at Ralph Wilson Stadium. Buddy /

James David “Buddy” Ryan: 1931-2016

To his enemies, he was a blowhard with the most punchable face in existence. To his friends he was an unforgettable personality that lit up a room. Then for the players he coached, he was simply a genius.

The man known as Buddy Ryan was a success from the moment he entered the pantheon of professional football. The first four teams he coached for in Buffalo, New York, Minnesota and Chicago all reached the championship game during his time there. It was often his unbridled motivational skill and ability to forge schemes around the players he had that made him so beloved.

Above all, he was aggressive. Ryan rewrote defensive football when he became a defensive coordinator for the Bears, using the blitz in such a fashion that had never been seen before. By the time he was done there and in Philadelphia as a head coach, he’d forged two of the greatest units in NFL history: the 1985 Bears and the 1991 Eagles. Ryan burned a lot of bridges along the way and had plenty of controversies. Still, his legacy and impact on the game he loved will be timeless.

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