Longtime NFL coach Jim Hanifan died Tuesday at the age of 87. Hanifan led the St. Louis Cardinals from 1980-85, posting a 39-49-1 record as head coach.
Hanifan’s daughter Kathy Hinder told the Post-Dispatch on Wednesday night that doctors were still trying to determine what was ailing Hanifan at the time of his death at Missouri Baptist Hospital. But she pointed out that his death was not related to COVID-19.
Hanifan spent 30 years coaching in the NFL and seven years coaching at the college level.
Hanifan was an assistant coach and then head coach for the St. Louis Football Cardinals, segments that covered 12 seasons. Ten years later, following coaching stints in Washington and Atlanta, Hanifan returned as a coach for the Rams, helping St. Louis to its first and only Super Bowl title.
From 2004 to 2008, he was a color commentator for the Rams radio broadcast team and hosted a weekly show. During his time in the booth, Hanifan was known for praising and critiquing players, a style that was described as a “refreshing, straight-from-the-gut manner rarely heard anymore”.