Legendary Florida State Football Coach Bobby Bowden Diagnosed With Terminal Illness

Legendary Florida State football coach Bobby Bowden has been diagnosed with a terminal illness, he and his family announced Wednesday. This news comes nearly after a year the 91-year-old Hall of Fame coach was hospitalized after contracting COVID-19. Bowden didn’t reveal his condition in the statement.

“I’ve always tried to serve God’s purpose for my life, on and off the field, and I am prepared for what is to come,” Bowden said in a statement released by Florida State. “My wife Ann and our family have been life’s greatest blessing. I am at peace.”

Bowden was the head coach at Florida State for 34 seasons before retiring in 2009. He left as the second-winningest coach in Division I history, claiming 357 victories. He led the Seminoles to two national championships, one in 1993 and another in 1999.

“Coach Bowden built a football dynasty and raised the national profile of Florida State University, and he did it with dignity, class and a sense of humor,” university president John Thrasher said in a statement. “Although his accomplishments on the field are unmatched, his legacy will go far beyond football. His faith and family have always come first, and he is an incredible role model for his players and fans alike. He is beloved by the FSU family.”

Before joining Florida State in 1976, Bowden was the head coach at West Virginia where he won 42 games in six seasons. His bests season with the Mountaineers was in 1975, leading the squad to a 9-3 record, including a victory in the Peach Bowl.

“Bobby Bowden has meant everything to Florida State athletics and so much to college football in general,” Florida State athletic director David Coburn said in a statement. “He has influenced so many people beyond just the players he coached, and the staff who had the privilege of working with him. He is a part of the heart and soul of FSU, but it goes beyond even that – he is a big part of the history of the game.”