He died of Alzheimer’s disease, according to ESPN.
Schottenheimer coached the Kansas City Chiefs for 10 seasons and ended with a 101-58-1 record in the regular season, the highest total in any 10-year period in the franchise’s history. He was inducted into the Chiefs’ Hall of Fame in 2010.
“Our family and the entire Kingdom of Chiefs mourn the loss of Marty Schottenheimer, and our prayers and sincere condolences are today to his wonderful wife Pat and the entire Schottenheimer family,” said Chiefs President and CEO Clark Hunt in a statement on Tuesday.
“Marty will be duly remembered as one of the greatest coaches in NFL history, but his legacy goes far beyond his winning percentage. He was a passionate leader who cared deeply about his players and coaches, and his influence on the game can still be seen today on a series of technical teams across the league. “
Hunt added: “Marty will always have a special place in the history of the Chiefs, and he will be missed very much by all of us who have had the blessing of calling him a friend.”
The NFL expressed its condolences on Twitter: “We regret the loss of the legendary Marty Schottenheimer.”
Schottenheimer coached three other teams: the Cleveland Browns for five seasons, where he ended with a record of 44-27, the Washington franchise for one season, ending in 8-8, and five seasons with the San Diego Chargers, where he obtained a record of 47-33.
In a statement, Chargers, who now plays in Los Angeles, said Schottenheimer was “a tremendous leader of men and a man of great principles – the love and admiration that his former players have for him still speaks for themselves” .
“You couldn’t beat it. You couldn’t beat it. And you certainly always knew exactly where you were with it,” said Chargers owner and chairman Dean Spanos.
“I am grateful that he was our head coach for five seasons and I am even more fortunate to be able to call him a friend. Facing Alzheimer’s, Marty’s incredible wife, Pat, said she would approach diagnosis in the same way as he trained, ‘full acceleration’. Marty practiced what he preached very well. And in recent years, like so many of his players before him, Marty has always found a way. He was, in many ways, the biggest competitor. “
Schottenheimer has the eighth highest number of wins among coaches, accumulating a record of 200-126-1 in the regular season and has had 11 double-digit seasons. But he fought in the playoffs, ending with a 5-13 record.
A Cleveland Browns statement said: “As a head coach, he led the organization to four playoff games and three division titles, but it was his tough, stubborn tough guy who never gave up on the fighting attitude the team personified that made him dear. of Browns and often led to exciting victories. Their impact on the football game was felt not only in northeastern Ohio, but throughout the NFL. Our thoughts and prayers are with his wife, Pat, and his entire family. “
Schottenheimer leaves his 54-year-old wife, Pat, his sons Kristen and Brian, and four grandchildren.