Bobby Bowden, Legendary FSU Coach, Diagnosed With Terminal Condition

By Jason Hall

July 22, 2021

Bobby Bowden
Photo: Getty Images

College Football Hall of Fame coach Bobby Bowden said he is "at peace" while announcing he's been diagnosed with a terminal medical condition on Wednesday (July 21).

"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 University obtained by the Associated Press. "My wife Ann and our family have been life's greatest blessing. I am at peace."

Bowden, 91, didn't specify his condition in the statement released on Wednesday.

The legendary coach spent 34 seasons at Florida State before retiring in 2009 as the second-winningest coach in Division I history with a total of 357 wins, including two national championships in 1993 and 1999. Bowden also coached at Howard University (1959) and West Virginia University (1970-75) before joining the Seminoles in 1976.

Bowden was hospitalized last October after testing positive for COVID-19, just days after returning home from a lengthy hospital stay due to an infection in his leg.

“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," Florida State president John Thrasher said in a statement obtained by the Associated Press. "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.”

Bowden's last game came in a win over West Virginia in the 2010 Gator Bowl, which marked FSU's 28th consecutive postseason appearance.

The legendary coach said he wanted to continue pursuing 400 wins, but university officials did not renew his contract and he was replaced by then-offensive coordinator Jimbo Fisher.

Bowden was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2006.

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