Former Arizona Cardinals head coach Dave McGinnis dies at 74 after illness

Dave McGinnis, a former Arizona Cardinals head coach and Tennessee Titans assistant coach, died on Monday. He was 74.

The Titans announced the death of McGinnis, who died after being hospitalized for an illness in early March. The Titans’ news release said that he passed away at Ascension St. Thomas Midtown Hospital with his family by his side.

“My heart aches with the loss of Coach Mac, who was so much more than a coach and broadcaster – he was family,” Titans owner Amy Adams Strunk said in a statement.

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Head coach Dave McGinnis of the Arizona Cardinals watches from the sideline during a game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh, Pa., on Nov. 9, 2003. The Steelers defeated the Cardinals, 28-15. (George Gojkovich/Getty Images)

Cardinals owner Michael Bidwell also released a statement on McGinnis.

“As Dave often said, he was a ‘ball coach’ through and through, and no one ever filled that role with more passion, enthusiasm and charisma,” Bidwell said. “Coach Mac truly loved the game and everything – and everyone – associated with it, especially his players. He was one of a kind and will be greatly missed.”

McGinnis found himself in an interim head coaching role during the 2000 season with the Cardinals, the team for which he served as defensive coordinator in 1996. He was retained in the head coaching post from 2001-03.

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In 57 career games, McGinnis went 17-40 with the Cardinals, ultimately being fired after a 4-12 season in 2003.

After he was fired, McGinnis landed with the Titans as a linebackers coach under head coach Jeff Fisher. He would become a mainstay in Nashville, holding that role and eventually being promoted to assistant head coach until 2011.

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

“Coach Mac gave so much of himself to this organization over the years, and his passion, loyalty and love for the Titans never wavered,” Strunk added. “He cared deeply about the people around him, and that kindness and authenticity left a lasting impact on everyone who knew him. He held a very special place in our family, and his presence in our lives and within this franchise will never be forgotten. We will miss him dearly, and we will always be grateful for the legacy he leaves behind.”

McGinnis’s coaching career began in 1973 when he was an assistant with TCU. He also held posts with Indiana State, Missouri and Kansas State until the 1986 season when he broke into the NFL with the Chicago Bears.

McGinnis served as linebackers coach for Chicago from 1986-95 before getting a promotion with the Cardinals. He also held roles with the St. Louis/Los Angeles Rams before leaving coach after the 2016 campaign.

McGinnis returned to Nashville to join Titans Radio in 2017, where he served as a color announcer for games.

Arizona Cardinals head coach Dave McGinnis stands on the sideline during a game against the Oakland Raiders at Network Associates Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Dec. 2, 2001. (Jed Jacobsohn/Allsport)

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“I love Dave McGinnis, and I don’t know that I’ve met anybody who was created for football, and a football life, more than Coach Mac,” said Burke Nihill, president and CEO of the Titans. “He just loved the game. Obviously, he played it for a long time and coached it for longer, and with everything he has done for us over the years as color commentator and a Titans personality. He lived such a special football life. He was such a special guy.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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