Mike White, former NFL and college coach, dead at 89

Mike White, who had stints as the head coach of Cal, Illinois and the Oakland Raiders, died at the age of 89 on Sunday, Dec. 14 in Newport Beach, California.

News of his death was announced on Monday, Dec. 15 by the Cal athletic department.

Born in Berkeley, California, White was a star end and halfback for the Golden Bears in the 1950s.

Appropriately, he began his coaching career at Cal, and after a successful detour at rival Stanford, returned to become his alma mater’s head coach in 1972.

His Golden Bears managed a first-place tie in the Pac-8 in 1975 after going 8-3. Cal again went 8-3 in 1977, and White finished his time there with a 35-30-1 record.

A two-year run as an assistant coach with the San Francisco 49ers led White back to another top college job, this time at Illinois from 1980-87. His tenure — in which he went 47-41-3 — peaked with a 10-2 Big-Ten championship and Rose Bowl season in 1983.

White eventually served as an offensive assistant with the Los Angeles Raiders under Art Shell for five seasons before taking the head coaching reins in 1995, coinciding with the team’s return to Oakland. That tenure lasted two seasons and resulted in a 15-17 record.

‘The Raiders family is saddened by the passing of Mike White, former head coach of the Silver and Black and a long-time NFL and college coach and mentor,’ a statement from the Las Vegas Raiders read. ‘The prayers of the entire Raider Nation are with Mike’s family at this time.’

White’s coaching career ended in 1999 when he won a Super Bowl with the St. Louis Rams as an offensive assistant.

In later years, he served as a founding board member of the Lott IMPACT Trophy, awarded to college football’s top defender and named for former defensive back Ronnie Lott.

‘The Lott IMPACT Trophy is saddened to learn of the passing of Mike White, an integral board member, who served as he coached, with fervor, determination and joy,’ the organization stated. ‘We extend our condolences to his wife Marilyn and children Chris, Matt, and Carrie.’