Tag: Jim Hanifan

Former Cardinals coach Jim Hanifan has died at 87 years old

He spent 12 years with the St. Louis Cardinals between being an assistant and head coach. He has the fourth-most wins in team history as a head coach.

The Arizona Cardinals have lost a former coach. According to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Jim Hanifan died Tuesday of unknown causes at the age of 87.

It was confirmed by Hanifan’s daughter. The one thing she knew about his death was that it was not COVID-related.

Hanifan spent 12 seasons with the Cardinals when they were in St. Louis. Under head coach Don Coryell and one under Bud Wilkinson Hanifan was offensive line coach for the Cardinals and then, after a year with the San Diego Chargers when he reunited with Coryell, he was head coach for the Cardinals from 1980-1985.

He spent six years as an assistant and six years as a head coach.

In his six seasons as head coach, the team went 39-49-1. They had a winning record in three of his six seasons and made the playoffs once. They lost to the Green Bay Packers in the 1982 first-round game.

His 39 wins are the fourth-most in franchise history for a head coach, behind only Bruce Arians, KenWhisenhunt and Coryell.

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Former St. Louis Cardinals coach Jim Hanifan dies at 87

Jim Hanifan, a mainstay in the St. Louis football world, has died at the age of 87

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.

Per Stltoday.com:

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”.