Bobby Bowden, the Hall of Fame football coach who built Florida State University into a dynasty and who was never shy about discussing his Christian faith, died Aug. 8. He was 91. Bowden coached Florida State from 1976 to 2009, winning two national championships and 12 conference titles, and also tallying a record 14 consecutive seasons finishing in the Associated Press Top 5. His 389 on-the-field victories ranked second all-time among major college coaches. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2006.
When Bowden arrived in Tallahassee, Florida, in 1976, the program had won only four games over the previous three seasons. But Bowden’s off-the-field character is what many fans will remember. He exhibited a folksy wit and warm charm to players and media members alike. He often spoke in churches and at faith-based events – both before and after retirement.
“If we don’t go out and talk about Jesus, how is the world going to know?” Bowden said this year during the Southern Baptist Convention annual meeting. He appeared at the SBC alongside former coach Mark Richt, who he helped lead to Christ during the 1980s.
Former Florida State quarterback Danny Kanell tweeted of Bowden’s success, “Coach Bowden’s legacy is far more about his faith than his football career. You could not go through a week at FSU without hearing the gospel message. He cared more about his players’ lives off the field than he cared about their football careers. He was who he was because of his relationship with Jesus. A lot of Christians preach one thing but live another. Coach Bowden lived his faith daily. That is his legacy.”
Bowden announced in July that he had terminal cancer. Richt, a friend of Bowden’s, said the former FSU coach was at peace. “He said that because he knows where he’s going, the peace that surpasses all understanding. There’s no fear in death. People who live the faith understand that.”