After Paul “Bear” Bryant significantly put the Alabama Crimson Tide into national relevance with six Natty trophies, no one could even come close to him. But then, after a couple of HC tried their luck, it was Eugene “Gene” Stallings who won the 1992 natty with a perfect 13-0 record. It was enough for him to be honored by a bronze statue outside Bryant-Denny.

But today, after three decades of his retirement from Tuscaloosa, Bama fans stumbled upon the news of his death. The BamaGoose X account broke the news, along with a picture of the coach, saying, “RIP Coach Stallings. A great coach but even a greater man.”

Other than this account, no other trustworthy source has reported his death. What does this mean? Gene Stallings is very much alive. And he is all set to celebrate his 91st birthday tomorrow, on March 2.

Is Gene Stallings dead?

No, Gene Stallings is not dead. As of today, the 90-year-old continues to reside on his ranch in Paris, Texas. Stallings has faced several health issues in recent years that could have sparked this rumor of his passing away. People often described Coach Stallings as “tough as nails” during his playing days under the legendary Paul Bryant.

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However, since 2017, he has navigated a series of serious medical episodes, including surviving four major strokes. The first one happened in 2017 when he suffered a significant stroke while waiting for a flight at the Dallas-Fort Worth airport. This was particularly dangerous, as it occurred shortly after he had already suffered a “mini-stroke” (TIA).

These two events occurred in May and August, after which he also suffered a serious heart attack in September. He had to be on the ventilator for days because of this. Then, back in 2022, the coach suffered his third stroke while also battling COVID-19. Just two years back, Stallings suffered his fourth stroke. Strokes of this frequency often affect speech and motor skills. But the “tough as nails” reputation remains intact.

After the last stroke, his daughter Martha Kate Stallings Gunn told sportscaster Rick Karle that her father is “doing great.”

“It happened two weeks ago, last Friday,” Gunn told Karle. “It was a true stroke, but Daddy’s doing great.”

After three months of recovery, Stallings celebrated his 90th birthday with family and former players like George Teague. However, Stallings’ physicality did take a toll on him after so many health issues. He was definitely fit and enjoyed spending time on his property, often riding his tractor or a golf cart with his dogs. But after he underwent a total hip replacement, he now uses a walker or walking stick to help him get around.

What is the main reason for this confusion?

A lot of factors gave rise to this confusion. Let’s talk about the X tweet by BamaGoose. Based on its activity, it appears to be a fan-oriented account rather than a primary news outlet. That essentially means information of such nature cannot be trusted to come from it. If it had been posted by a verified journalistic source like Bama247, it might have been true. The BamaGoose is best treated as a community voice.

Even in January 2026, false reports circulated on Facebook claiming that Stallings had brain cancer; family friends debunked the claims and confirmed that he was doing well.

“Many of you saw the Facebook post that was going around yesterday on (sadly) a page that bills itself as a page for Alabama football fans,” Rick Karle wrote on his Facebook page. “The post ‘reported’ that former coach Gene Stallings has brain cancer. It forced me to call the Stallings family yesterday. The coach does NOT have cancer, and he’s doing well.”

Then, last month, vague “emotional updates” and prayer requests for the “iconic coach” appeared on social media. Apart from this, another reason that led to this confusion is the “same name” theory. A lot of obituaries with the same name, “Stallings,” fueled the fear.

Gene Stallings’ contribution as a coach and player

Now that the cloud of doubt is cleared, it doesn’t hurt to revisit Coach Stallings’ contribution both as a player and a play caller. Stallings’ playing career was with the Aggies, where he was a standout defensive end and wide receiver from 1954 to 1956. He truly defined his legacy when he survived Paul Bryant’s infamous 10-day summer training camp in Junction in 1954.

As a senior captain at Texas A&M, Stallings led the Aggies to a 9–0–1 record and the school’s first Southwest Conference (SWC) title since 1939. His first official coaching assignment happened at his alma mater after his graduation. After just one year on the Aggies’ sidelines, Stallings gave his six years to Alabama, serving various roles under Bryant. After he gathered the best expertise, Stallings became the head coach at Texas A&M.

Coach Stallings held that position for six years, winning the 1967 SWC Championship and defeating Alabama in the 1968 Cotton Bowl. That success helped him in transitioning to the NFL. Stallings spent 14 seasons as an assistant coach for the Cowboys under Tom Landry. He even played a crucial role in helping the team win Super Bowl XII.

Stallings returned to the College level and joined the very place where he learned everything: Alabama. At Tuscaloosa, Stallings put together a 70–16–1 on-field record.