Dave McGinnis, former Cardinals head coach and beloved Titans assistant, dead at 74

Dave McGinnis, a erstwhile Arizona Cardinals caput manager and Tennessee Titans adjunct coach, died connected Monday. He was 74.

The Titans announced the decease of McGinnis, who died aft being hospitalized for an unwellness successful aboriginal March. The Titans’ quality merchandise said that helium passed distant astatine Ascension St. Thomas Midtown Hospital with his household by his side.

"My bosom aches with the nonaccomplishment of Coach Mac, who was truthful overmuch much than a manager and broadcaster – helium was family," Titans proprietor Amy Adams Strunk said successful a statement.

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Head manager Dave McGinnis of the Arizona Cardinals watches from the sideline during a crippled against the Pittsburgh Steelers astatine Heinz Field successful Pittsburgh, Pa., connected Nov. 9, 2003. The Steelers defeated the Cardinals, 28-15. (George Gojkovich/Getty Images)

Cardinals proprietor Michael Bidwell besides released a connection connected McGinnis.

"As Dave often said, helium was a ‘ball coach’ done and through, and nary 1 ever filled that relation with much passion, enthusiasm and charisma," Bidwell said. "Coach Mac genuinely loved the crippled and everything – and everyone – associated with it, particularly his players. He was 1 of a benignant and volition beryllium greatly missed."

McGinnis recovered himself successful an interim caput coaching relation during the 2000 play with the Cardinals, the squad for which helium served arsenic antiaircraft coordinator successful 1996. He was retained successful the caput coaching station from 2001-03.

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In 57 vocation games, McGinnis went 17-40 with the Cardinals, yet being fired aft a 4-12 play successful 2003.

After helium was fired, McGinnis landed with the Titans arsenic a linebackers manager nether caput manager Jeff Fisher. He would go a mainstay successful Nashville, holding that relation and yet being promoted to adjunct caput manager until 2011.

Coach Dave McGinnis of the Arizona Cardinals walks the sideline against the Cleveland Browns astatine Cleveland Browns Stadium successful Cleveland, Ohio, connected Nov. 16, 2003. The Browns won the game, 40-6. (Tom Pidgeon/Getty Images)

"Coach Mac gave truthful overmuch of himself to this enactment implicit the years, and his passion, loyalty and emotion for the Titans ne'er wavered," Strunk added. "He cared profoundly astir the radical astir him, and that kindness and authenticity near a lasting interaction connected everyone who knew him. He held a precise peculiar spot successful our family, and his beingness successful our lives and wrong this franchise volition ne'er beryllium forgotten. We volition miss him dearly, and we volition ever beryllium grateful for the bequest helium leaves behind."

McGinnis’s coaching vocation began successful 1973 erstwhile helium was an adjunct with TCU. He besides held posts with Indiana State, Missouri and Kansas State until the 1986 play erstwhile helium broke into the NFL with the Chicago Bears.

McGinnis served arsenic linebackers manager for Chicago from 1986-95 earlier getting a promotion with the Cardinals. He besides held roles with the St. Louis/Los Angeles Rams earlier leaving manager aft the 2016 campaign.

McGinnis returned to Nashville to articulation Titans Radio successful 2017, wherever helium served arsenic a colour announcer for games.

Arizona Cardinals caput manager Dave McGinnis stands connected the sideline during a crippled against the Oakland Raiders astatine Network Associates Coliseum successful Oakland, Calif., connected Dec. 2, 2001. (Jed Jacobsohn/Allsport)

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"I emotion Dave McGinnis, and I don't cognize that I've met anybody who was created for football, and a shot life, much than Coach Mac," said Burke Nihill, president and CEO of the Titans. "He conscionable loved the game. Obviously, helium played it for a agelong clip and coached it for longer, and with everything helium has done for america implicit the years arsenic colour commentator and a Titans personality. He lived specified a peculiar shot life. He was specified a peculiar guy.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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