Ex-Patriots Coach Ron Meyer Dead At 76

FOXBOROUGH, MA — A former New England Patriots head coach has died, the team announced Wednesday.

Ron Meyer has passed away at the age of 76 years old. He was named the eighth head coach of the Patriots on Jan. 15, 1982, and served as head coach for two-and-a-half seasons (1982-84). He came to New England after a successful six-year stint as head coach of Southern Methodist University.

“I am sad to hear of Ron Meyer’s passing,” Patriots Chairman and CEO Robert Kraft said in a release. “He was a colorful head coach who was very entertaining for fans during his tenure. One of the greatest things Ron did when he was hired in 1982 was to bring us a young coach from his staff at Southern Methodist University named Dante Scarnecchia. Thirty-five years later, that hire has proven to be a lasting legacy. On behalf of the entire Patriots organization, we send our thoughts and prayers to the Meyer family and the many friends who are mourning his loss.”

Meyer's 1982 turnaround saw him take the team from a 2-14 record to a 5-4 team that made the playoffs for the first time since 1978. He earned AFC Coach of the Year honors for his efforts. In two-and-a-half seasons, Meyer finished with an 18-15 regular season record (.545 winning pct.).

Meyer was the coach during the infamous 1982 "Snow Plow Game" against the Miami Dolphins where a stadium worker cleared a spot for John Smith to kick the winning field goal that gave the Patriots a 3-0 win over the Dolphins.

After New England, Meyer coached the Indianapolis Colts from 1986-91, where he earned another AFC Coach of the Year honor in 1987.

Information in this article was provided by Patriots Media Relations

Image: AP Photo/Paul Benoit