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

Former Arizona Cardinals head coach and Tennessee Titans assistant coach Dave McGinnis died on Monday. He was 74 years old.

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

“My heart aches for 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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Cardinals owner Michael Bidwell also made a statement about McGinnis.

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

McGinnis found himself as the interim head coach of the Cardinals, where he served as defensive coordinator in 1996, during the 2000 season. He remained as head coach from 2001-03.

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McGinnis went 17-40 in 57 career games with the Cardinals and was fired following a 4-12 season in 2003.

After being fired, McGinnis joined the Titans as linebackers coach under head coach Jeff Fisher. He would become a mainstay in Nashville, taking on that role and eventually being promoted to assistant head coach by 2011.

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

“Coach Mac has given so much of himself to this organization over the years, and his passion, loyalty and love for the Titans has never wavered,” Strunk added. “He deeply cared 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 greatly and will always be grateful for the legacy he left behind.”

McGinnis’ coaching career began as an assistant at TCU in 1973. He also had stints at Indiana State, Missouri and Kansas State until the 1986 season when he entered the NFL with the Chicago Bears.

McGinnis served as linebackers coach in Chicago from 1986-95 before being promoted to the Cardinals. He also coached St. Louis before stepping down as coach following the 2016 season. He also played for the St. Louis/Los Angeles Rams.

McGinnis returned to Nashville in 2017 to join Titans Radio, where he served as the 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, California, on December 2, 2001. (Jed Jacobsohn/Allsport)

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“I love Dave McGinnis, and I don’t know if I’ve ever met anyone as built for football and the football life as Coach Mac,” said Titans president and CEO Burke Nihill. “He loved the game. Obviously, he played a long time and coached even longer, with everything he did for us over the years as the color commentator and Titan personality. He lived a very special football life. He was a very special man.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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