Swampscott Legend Dick Jauron, former NFL Head Coach, Remembered

SWAMPSCOTT, MA — Legendary Swampscott High football, basketball and baseball star Dick Jauron — who went on to become head coach of the Chicago Bears and Buffalo Bills — died Saturday morning, the Bills announced on Saturday. He was 74.

Jauron was named one of the top 10 high school football players in Massachusetts history during his time at Swampscott High by the Boston Globe and went on to play running back at Yale University. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2015.

He was drafted by both the Detroit Lions in the NFL Draft and the St. Louis Cardinals in the Major League Baseball amateur draft.

Jauron played defensive back in the NFL from 1973 to 1980 with the Detroit Lions and Cincinnati Bengals — and was named to the Pro Bowl in 1974 after leading the NFC in punt return average while with the Lions.

He went on to an extensive coaching career in the NFL beginning as a defensive coordinator for the Jacksonville Jaguars under Tom Coughlin in 1995. He was named Associated Press Coach of the Year with the Chicago Bears in 2001 before coaching the Bills from 2006 through 2009.

He finished with a 60-82 record and one playoff berth over parts of 10 seasons as a head coach.

"I was very fortunate to start my NFL career with Dick Jauron as my first head coach," said Eric Wood, a former Bills center who was drafted in the first round by Jauron in 2009, in the Bills statement on Saturday. "He set a great foundation for my career with his extensive knowledge of the NFL game and helped us develop as professionals both on and off the field.

"Coach Jauron was a sincere and thoughtful family man and a true gentleman. My heart goes out to his family during this difficult time."