“This Is Very Sad News”: Football Fans in Deep Sorrow After NFL World Loses a Veteran to Cancer

Published 06/01/2023, 5:30 AM EDT

College football is one of the most important tenets that football fans live by. The unadulterated plays that differ from the elegant NFL, the brash rivalries, and the infinite potential of college football players are enamoring. And, coaches of college football teams play a special role in the eyes of football fans as well as players. Therefore, when one of them passes away, it is almost like a star has fallen.

UCLA sports have always been very popular and UCLA football is one of the best there is in the country. Furthermore, the Bruins became one of defenses in the PAC-12 division. They went on to become the third-best in the conference in terms of their defense. They allowed only 129.9 yards per game on the ground and limited opponents to just 3.8 yards per carry. And this was all due to their new linebacker coach. Sadly, the UCLA Bruins defense has lost the captain of their ship as they bid farewell to their amazing coach, Bill McGovern, who made such a wonderful season possible.

NFL lost a college football legend

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While battling cancer, Bill McGovern passed away at the age of 60. As UCLA mourns his loss, they remember the kind of incredible contributions McGovern made. He has been a long-time coach in the football world, spanning both the NCAA tournament as well as the NFL.

It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of Bill McGovern and offer our deepest condolences to Coach McGovern’s family and friends.https://t.co/wTAFpHjuiH pic.twitter.com/Vt5IZ4lny4
— UCLA Football (@UCLAFootball) May 30, 2023

In the NFL, he has been a part of the coaching staff for several teams, including New York Giants. He joined UCLA in 2022 as a defensive coordinator and remained on with UCLA as the director of football administration in 2023. In his time with UCLA, he was able to bring about a brilliant change to the defense but that’s not all. In terms of his college coaching career, his longest stint was with Boston College from 2000 to 2012. He even spent 4 years being their defensive coordinator. In Boston College, he went on to coach future NFL treasure, Luke Kuechly, a player who set multiple records in the program, the conference as well as all over the nation as a top-notch linebacker in 2011.

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Apart from his accolades as a coach, McGovern also gained a lot of accolades in his career as a football player. He played at Holy Cross and set an NCAA D-1 record for 11 interceptions in 1984. As the news of his passing broke out on Twitter, fans showcased their sympathy.

Fans express their sincere condolences

After the news of McGovern’s passing went viral, fans expressed their sadness. One fan mentioned McGovern’s greatness and said, “This is very sad news. By all accounts a great man.”

One fan mentioned their prayers for the Bruins and said, “Thinking about our Bruins family.”

There was a condolence message for the coach: “Rest in Peace coach. Condolences to the McGovern family.”

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A fan gave their support for the McGovern family and said, “RIP Coach McGovern. My condolences go out to the entire McGovern family, and all that knew him. Rest easy.”

Finally, one fan mentioned the coach’s greatness and said, “One of the best guys I been around. Coaching football over 30 plus years and Billy was a coaches coach. He treated you with respect no matter what level you coached at or he did. Rip Bill.

Fans were very heartbroken with the news of the coach’s passing away. They seemed to have an emotional response on Twitter. As the McGovern family grieves, the football community mourns the loss of a profound coaching talent.

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Written by:

Aditya Rajput is a prime-time NFL writer at EssentiallySports, bringing his unique perspective to the world of football. With a Bachelor's degree in Psychology and Advertising from a prestigious university, Rajput uses his expertise in human behavior and decision-making to provide insightful analysis of the motivations and strategies of NFL athletes. Rajput is a passionate sports enthusiast who is particularly drawn to the legacy of Tom Brady, whom he considers to be the greatest quarterback in history.

Edited by:

Abigail Kevichusa

“This Is Very Sad News”: Football Fans in Deep Sorrow After NFL World Loses a Veteran to Cancer

NFL lost a college football legend

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Fans express their sincere condolences