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Longtime Florida State football coach Bobby Bowden who ranks second all-time in Division I wins, has died, school announced Sunday morning.
He was 91 years old.
Bowden was diagnosed with a terminal illness in July. He did not disclose his condition at the time, although his son Terry later told reporters that it was pancreatic cancer.
“I’ve always tried to serve God’s purpose for my life, on and off the pitch, and I’m prepared for what’s to come,” Bowden said in a statement announcing the illness. “My wife Ann and our family have been the greatest blessing in life. I am at peace.”
Bowden also faced what he called a “tough” COVID-19 fight in 2020, which came days after returning to his Tallahassee home after a long hospital stay with an infection with the leg.
Robert Cleckler Bowden, better known as Bobby, was born in Birmingham, Alabama, in 1929. He was a sickly child with rheumatic fever and spent much of his youth in bed. It was then, while listening to radio broadcasts, that Bowden developed a love for football. He listened to Alabama games on the radio – and while football didn’t cure Bowden, it certainly led to the call of his life. With his health under control, Bowden played football at Woodlawn High School with the dream of getting ready for the Crimson Tide.
And that’s what he did – the quarterback, no less – but love finally took over.
Alabama policy at the time was that freshmen couldn’t get married, but Bowden really wanted to marry his high school girlfriend, Ann Estock. That’s what he did, and so he walked away from his Tide career.
He went on to play as a quarterback at Howard College (now Samford University). He also played baseball and raced on the track.
After graduating, Bowden got his first coaching job, as an assistant with Howard. He turned that into another job, athletic director and head coach at South Georgia College for two years, which then brought him back to Howard as head coach in 1959, where he coached until 1962.
His coaching prowess developed during this time, as did his urge to travel to coach bigger schools.
His debut in the varsity division (now called the Football Bowl Subdivision) was actually with the Seminoles, as a wide receivers coach, from 1963 to ’65. He then went to West Virginia to serve as offensive coordinator from 1966-69. He was appointed head coach in 1970 and was 42-26 with the Mountaineers.
The tragic Marshall plane crash in 1970 took a heavy toll on Bowden during his first year as head coach. He asked the NCAA to wear Marshall jerseys and play his last game for them – but the NCAA said no. Instead, players have added green crosses and “MU” to their helmets.
He later said that Marshall wanted him to be his next head coach. But in 1976, Bowden traveled to the state of Florida, mainly because it was warmer in Tallahassee and closer to his mother. His first year as the Seminoles head coach was not his best – they went 5-6 – but it was his only loss record in 34 seasons at FSU. In 1982, the Seminoles received their first bowl invite under Bowden, which would lead to 28 consecutive bowl appearances and national championships in 1993 and 1999. For 14 consecutive seasons, ending in 2000, the Seminoles have won at least 10 games and finished in the top five in the AP poll.
His status as a Florida state legend – and a college football legend as a whole – was established during this time. He and Penn State coach Joe Paterno were neck and neck at No.1 and No.2 on the list of most successful coaches. In 2009, Bowden announced his retirement. The last years of his coaching career were not brilliant.
“Nothing lasts forever, does it? But I’ve had wonderful years here at Florida State, you know that,” Bowden said as he announced his retirement. “I haven’t done as well as I wish I could have done lately, but I’ve had wonderful years, no regrets.”
The Seminoles were left in the hands of new head coach Jimbo Fisher – who was named successor in 2007 – after Bowden’s official retirement. Bowden ended his career with a 2009 Gator Bowl victory. A few weeks later, the NCAA deprived Florida State of 12 wins in 2006 and 2007 when it was established that FSU had committed sports fraud. He is recognized as having 357 career victories, behind only 409 of Paterno.
Bowden and his wife had six children, including two college football coaches, former Clemson coach Tommy Bowden and former Auburn coach Terry. A devout Christian, Bobby Bowden has a Fellowship of Christian Athletes award named after him. He is also the namesake of Bobby Bowden National Collegiate Coach of the Year Award at a Birmingham football club. The first such prize went to Alabama coach Nick Saban. Bowden introduced it to Saban himself.
Bowden was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2006.
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