While the Kansas City Chiefs dashed the Buffalo Bills‘ Super Bowl dreams in the AFC Championship Game, the NFL Honors gave the team something to celebrate.
Bills quarterback Josh Allen not only won Art Rooney Sportsmanship Award on February 6, he beat out Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson to win this year’s Most Valuable Player award. At the Saeger Theatre in New Orleans to support Allen, Bill general manager Brandon Beane, head coach Sean McDermott, and owner Terry Pegula.
Just two days later, however, the Bills announced some heartbreaking news. Former Bills head coach Dick Jauron died at age 74 on Saturday, February 8. The team posted on X, “We’re saddened to learn about the passing of former Head Coach Dick Jauron. ❤️💙. We are thinking of his friends, family, and loved ones during this difficult time.”
Dick Jauron Coached, The Buffalo Bills’ 14th Head Coach, Died of Cancer
GettyFormer Bills head coach Dick Jauron at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
Jauron served as the Bills head coach for three and a half seasons between 2006 and 2009. The Daily Item reported his cause of death from a short cancer battle.
Former Bills center Eric Wood, drafted in the first round by Jauron in 2009, shared a heartfelt message following his death.
“I was very fortunate to start my NFL career with Dick Jauron as my first head coach,” Wood told Bills senior director of content. “He set a great foundation for my career with his extensive knowledge of the NFL game and helped us develop as professionals both on and off the field. Coach Jauron was a sincere and thoughtful family man and a true gentleman. My heart goes out to his family during this difficult time.”
A former player, Jauron was one of Yale’s top running backs in college. He switched to safety after the Detroit Lions drafted him in the fourth round of the 1973 NFL draft. He appeared in 100 games between his tenures with the Lions and Cincinnati Bengals, earning Pro Bowl honors in 1974. Before Buffalo hired Jauron, he spent five seasons as head coach of the Chicago Bears between 1999 and 2003. He earned the Coach of the Year award in 2001 while leading the Bears to a 13-3 season.
He returned to the Lions as a defensive coordinator and briefly served as their interim head coach in 2005, during which Detroit went 1-4. He went on to serve as defensive coordinator for the Cleveland Browns between 2011 and 2012.
Bills Fans & Analysts Paid Tribute to Dick Jauron on Social Media Following His Death
While Jauron went 24-33 during his tenure as head coach in Buffalo, fans and analysts remembered him fondly. One fan wrote, “Once a Bill, always a Bill. RIP Coach.” One man recalled, “We met him at Bruce Smith’s enshrinement into the HOF. Unbelievable person.”
WROC-TV’s Thad Brown posted, “Dick Jauron was one of the more genuine, respectful coaches I’ve ever covered. Really appreciated everyone around him and took the time to make that clear. Condolences to the Jauron family.” 13WHAM’s Mike Catalana wrote, “A real football guy. One of the nicest people in the game. Great athlete and long time NFL player too.”
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