Legendary Auburn Coach Pat Dye Dies At Age 80

AUBURN, AL — Auburn's legendary former head football coach and athletic director Pat Dye died Monday. He was 80 years old.

Dye has been battling illness for some time, according to sources close to the Dye family, including kidney problems that led to his most recent hospitalization. While hospitalized, Dye was diagnosed with COVID-19, although the virus has not been deemed the cause of Dye's death.

Dye played college football at the University of Georgia, then went on to play in the Canadian Football League for the Edmonton Eskimos from 1961 to 1962.

When his playing career ended, his coaching career began, as Dye became an assistant coach with the University of Alabama, coaching linebackers from 1965-1973. He then became the head coach at East Carolina, then coached one season at Wyoming before taking the head coaching job at Auburn.

During his career at Auburn from 1981-1992, he guided the Tigers to four SEC championships and was named SEC Coach of the Year three times.

Dye was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2005.