Pardee told he has life-threatening cancer
Jack Pardee, who was a successful NFL player and coach, has been diagnosed with gall bladder cancer, family members said Tuesday.
They said Pardee, 77, has been told he has 6-9 months to live after the cancer has spread to other organs. He sat out the 1965 NFL season recovering from melanoma.
As a college player, Pardee was a member of the College Football Hall of Fame for his three seasons at Texas A&M, where he was one of Bear Bryant's famous "Junction Boys" (1954-57).
As a pro player, he was drafted and played linebacker for the Los Angeles Rams (1957-64) for eight seasons, sat out the 1965 season, then played seven more seasons before retiring with the Washington Redskins in 1973.
But he truly made his mark as a head coach as he directed teams in the NFL, the WFL, the CFL and the USFL. He had an NFL coaching record of 87-77.
He coached the Florida Blazers of the WFL right after retiring.
The next season, he became coach of the Chicago Bears. He lasted for three seasons (20-22). He coached the Redskins (1978-80) to a 24-24 mark. He also coached USFL's Houston Gamblers (1984-85), where he brought Darrell "Mouse" Davis and the run-and-shoot offense to pro football.
After the USFL was disbanded in 1987, he took the run-and-shoot offense to the University of Houston, where he compiled a 22-11-1 record and led the nation in total offense (624.9 yards a game).
Pardee had one last coaching stint in the NFL with the Houston Oilers (1990-94), which he led to a 43-31 record in five seasons. He led the Oilers to four playoff berths before he resigned when they started his fifth season with a 1-9 record.
