Serafino Dante Fazio[1] (28 February 1938 in Dawmont, West Virginia - 2 December 2009 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania [2]) was an American former National Football League defensive assistant and college football head coach.
Fazio played linebacker and center at the University of Pittsburgh, and was drafted by the Boston Patriots of the AFL but never played professionally. He returned to Coraopolis, Pennsylvania, where he grew up, to begin his coaching career at the high school level, and eventually moved to the college ranks. He was hired as head coach by his alma mater in 1982, having previously been defensive coordinator, leading the team to a 25-18-3 record in four seasons before being fired. Lou Holtz then hired Foge Fazio to serve as the defensive coordinator at the University of Notre Dame.[3]. At the college level, Fazio also coached at Boston University, Harvard University and the University of Cincinnati.
He moved to the NFL, coaching for the Atlanta Falcons and New York Jets before becoming the defensive coordinator of the Minnesota Vikings in 1995. He left the Vikings in 1999 and spent a year as the linebackers coach of the Washington Redskins before his hiring as the defensive coordinator of the Cleveland Browns in 2001.[4] He retired from the Browns in 2003, but was hired as a defensive consultant by Mike Tice of the Vikings in the 2005 season.
Following his retirement from coaching he became a color commentator for the radio broadcast of Pitt football games during 2008 and 2009, though he retired midway through the 2009 season, following Pitt's game on October 10, due his battle with leukemia.[5] As a result a lengthy battle with leukemia, Fazio died December 2, 2009.[1][6] He was survived by his wife and two children, Kristen and Vincent. He was 71.
References
- ^ a b Majors, Dan; Sanserino, Michael (December 03, 2009). "Obituary: Serafino Dante 'Foge' Fazio / Head football coach at Pitt for 4 years in '80s". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09337/1018128-122.stm. Retrieved December 03, 2009.
- ^ Legacy.com Obit accessed 3 December 2009
- ^ "Fazio Joins Notre Dame". New York Times. December 27, 1985. http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9E06E1DC133BF934A15751C1A963948260&n=Top%2fReference%2fTimes%20Topics%2fOrganizations%2fU%2fUniversity%20of%20Notre%20Dame%20. Retrieved July 16, 2006.
- ^ "Meet Foge Fazio". Cleveland Browns Official Web Site. http://www.clevelandbrowns.com/news_room/news/arts/136.0.html. Retrieved July 16, 2006.
- ^ Harlan, Chris (December 3, 2009). "Former Pitt coach Foge Fazio dies at 71". Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/breaking/s_655976.html. Retrieved December 3, 2009.
- ^ "Former Pitt coach Fazio, 71, dies". Sports Illustrated. Associated Press. December 2, 2009. http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/football/ncaa/12/02/fazio.obit.ap/index.html. Retrieved December 3, 2009.
External Links
| Preceded by Jackie Sherrill |
University of Pittsburgh Head Football Coach 1982–1985 |
Succeeded by Mike Gottfried |
| Preceded by Tony Dungy |
Minnesota Vikings Defensive Coordinator 1996–1999 |
Succeeded by Emmitt Thomas |
| Preceded by Romeo Crennel |
Cleveland Browns Defensive Coordinator 2001–2002 |
Succeeded by Dave Campo |
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