Las Vegas Raiders head coach Josh McDaniels shared his thoughts and sympathies on the late coaching legend, Mike Leach who passed away this week. It was a huge blow to the football community and coach Leach clearly resonated with so many in the NFL coaching ranks as McDaniels alluded to on Wednesday.
Josh McDaniels On The Late Mike Leach: “Great Coach, Better Person”
While speaking to the media this week about the upcoming matchup with the New England Patriots, McDaniels took time to acknowledge Leach after being asked if he had any history with the late coach.
“I never did. Lincoln Riley is a good friend of mine. Obviously, he was a significant influence in Lincoln’s life, and a number of other guys have crossed paths with him, including Kliff Kingsbury. So, everybody that I know [who] has known him or spent quality time with Coach Leach, I mean, they’ve said the same thing. He’s a great human being. Everybody knows him as a great coach, and he was a great soundbite obviously, but a better person, and he’ll be missed for sure.”
Whether you were a fan of Leach’s teams or not, the man was a coaching legend. Most recently, he was the head coach at Mississippi State University. The president of the school, Mark E. Keenum, shared these words on coaching following his passing: “Coach Mike Leach cast a tremendous shadow not just over Mississippi State University but over the entire college football landscape. His innovative ‘Air Raid’ offense changed the game. Mike’s keen intellect and unvarnished candor made him one of the nation’s true coaching legends.”
While Coach Leach never led a team in the NFL, he did prepare several future NFL stars. Among them, former Raiders wide receiver Michael Crabtree. It’s always a great thing to see coaches, McDaniels included, speak so highly of a man’s character.
The Raiders & Josh McDaniels Still Have A Chance At Redemption
*Top Photo: AP Photo/David Richard
