LEGENDARY LOSS

Four-Time Super Bowl Champion Dies at 83

The player and coach had an illustrious career in the NFL.

Four-time NFL champion Sherman Lewis died on Friday at age 83. “We are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Sherman Lewis,” Michigan State University, his alma mater, where he was an All-American halfback, confirmed in a statement. “Lewis, a first-team All-American in 1963, served as an assistant coach at MSU before a decorated NFL coaching career that included four Super Bowl titles. We send our deepest condolences to the Lewis family.” The university did not share the player’s cause of death. Lewis played in the AFL as a defensive back and returner for the Jets in 1966 and 1967. By 1969, he had pivoted to coaching, returning to Michigan State as an assistant coach for 13 years before being recruited to the big leagues. While he never took on a head-coaching role, Lewis had a nine-season stint as a running backs coach for the 49ers in the ’80s, during which he won three Super Bowls. He continued on to work for eight seasons as an offensive coordinator for the Packers, adding a fourth Super Bowl win to his illustrious coaching career. His final role was with Washington in 2009 before retiring from the NFL.