Toward the end of the 90s, there was growing chatter around two NFL powers on opposite sides of the bay: Green Bay and San Francisco. When George Seifert stepped away from the 49ers, many expected the organization to consider Sherman Lewis, whose resume easily outweighed that of Steve Mariucci. Lewis was serving as an offensive coordinator for the Green Bay Packers in 1997, and then-head coach Mike Holmgren famously described him as “the best-kept secret” in football. But in San Francisco, Lewis was hardly unknown. He had already spent nearly a decade with them from 1983 through 1991, making the decision to pass him over all the more puzzling to many around the league.

Instead of handing the job to the far more experienced Lewis, San Francisco chose 41-year-old Steve Mariucci, who had spent four seasons in Green Bay working under both Lewis and Mike Holmgren as the Packers’ quarterbacks coach from 1992 to 1995. “I’m happy for Steve,” Lewis said then, but he couldn’t help but… wonder. Many believed he was at the center of a racially charged debate. Whatever it was, the man who was repeatedly denied the position for around two decades left for his heavenly abode.

“We are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Sherman Lewis,” Michigan State Football wrote on X on Saturday, remembering the man who coached their team from 1969 to 1982. “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.”

He was 83. The cause of death has not been revealed, but in recent years, he had been residing in an assisted living facility.

While his coaching career ended in 2009, he often spoke about what could have been. The fact that he could never become HC ate at Lewis at times. For instance, back in 2015, he told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:

“We won Super Bowls in San Francisco and one in Green Bay. And I got to work with some great coaches and players. No question, I wished I had the chance to be a head coach. But looking back, I did all I could. I was disappointed, but I’m not going to hang my hat on that.”

He did all he could, and so much more. No wonder the Pro Football Hall of Fame recognized his contributions in 2023. The selection committee honored the coach at the second annual NFL Awards of Excellence at the Hall in Canton, Ohio. Lewis was honored alongside fellow assistant coaches Tom Moore and Dante Scarnecchia as part of a group recognized for their behind-the-scenes impact on the NFL. The trio was included among 17 recipients across five different categories, all selected for the often-unseen work that helped drive the league’s success over the years.

Interestingly, the ceremony happened to land on Sherman Lewis’ 81st birthday, giving the moment an added layer of meaning. It was both a fitting celebration and a quiet reminder of how long many overlooked pioneers in the league had to wait before finally receiving the recognition they deserved.

Sherman Lewis was once close to winning the Heisman Trophy!

Lewis will be remembered as one of the best players in Spartans history as he played for Michigan between 1960 and 1963, finishing third in the 1963 Heisman Trophy voting as a running back. He was a three-time All-Big Ten selection and a consensus All-American in 1963. Lewis then moved to pro football and played across the NFL and CFL for teams like the Toronto Argonauts (1964–1965), Saskatchewan Roughriders (1965), New York Jets (1966-1967), and Waterbury Orbits (1967).

However, after this short pro career, Sherman Lewis grew into one of the best coaches in football. He started this coaching journey with a return to the Spartans as an assistant coach before joining the San Francisco 49ers in 1983. Over the next eight years, featuring as the Niners’ running backs coach and wide receiver coach, Lewis played a crucial role in the franchise’s three Lombardi Trophies (1984, 1988, and 1989).

Then in 1992, Lewis joined the Green Bay Packers to work as head coach Mike Holmgren’s offensive coordinator, spending eight years while adding another Super Bowl to his name after defeating the New England Patriots. The veteran coach continued as an OC in the NFL, working with teams like the Minnesota Vikings and Detroit Lions from 2000 to 2004 before stepping aside from the NFL until 2009, when he joined the then-Washington Redskins as an offensive assistant.

Sadly, Lewis never had the chance to be a head coach, despite emerging as one of the brightest offensive minds in the league. He received endorsements for head coaching roles from legends like Mike Holmgren and Bill Walsh, but could never secure the top job in the league.

As the NFL world remembers the extraordinary career of Sherman Lewis, countless fans paid their respects to the legendary coach and celebrated his illustrious career, both as a player and as a coach.

NFL fans celebrate the incredible Sherman Lewis

Despite not being a head coach in the NFL, Sherman Lewis still left a significant impact on the league, as fans showered in heartfelt messages of blessings and condolences as they celebrated his life on social media. Spartans fans reflected on Lewis’ time in Michigan by highlighting how he was a favorite for many and played a crucial role for the program.

“That was my Dad’s favorite Spartan back in the day,” one fan shared, while another commented, “Sherman Lewis was one of our legendary and iconic alumni. My condolences to the Lewis family – Spartan Nation has suffered a major loss. May Lewis R.I.P. God bless!”

Similarly, fans also reminisced about his incredible coaching acumen displayed in the NFL and his impact as he helped pave a path for several other coaches of color.

“Prayer for the family was a fantastic man and very knowledgeable about the game he loved and coached,” one fan wrote on X, while another tweeted, “Help pave the way for OTHERS to become Head Coaches. 💔”

Here’s the thing: Back in 1998, Lewis found himself at the center of an increasingly heated debate about race and hiring practices across the league. Despite building one of the strongest resumes in football, he did not receive a single interview for any of the NFL’s 11 head-coaching openings.

11 coaching switches happened before the season, followed by two more in Buffalo and Indianapolis, meaning 13 new head coaches had been hired across the league in just two years. That was almost 50 percent of NFL franchises. Yet through all of that turnover, not one of the replacement hires was black. However, in its defense, the NFL claimed that the lack of black head coaches hired in that time span was because of experience. The league stated that most head coaches hired then already had head coaching or coordinator experience at the

N.F.L. officials say the lack of black head coaches hired in the past two years is a matter of experience. Most coaches are hired after being either head coaches in college or coordinators in the pros. Regardless, one Niners fan also expressed how Lewis should have been a head coach in the NFL, especially after his illustrious coaching career.

“Sad news. He was a great assistant coach for the @49ers. Should have gotten an HC job. RIP,” the fan commented.

Sherman Lewis may never have gotten the head coaching opportunity he deserved, but his legacy speaks for itself. Four Super Bowl titles and decades of mentoring elite players cemented his place among football’s finest minds. As the NFL mourns his passing, Lewis leaves behind not just a remarkable career but an enduring inspiration for generations of coaches to come.