Dan Fouts speaks at Don Coryell's Celebration of Life.

^{Photo by Dan McLellan}

Caring, passionate, family-man, honest, genius, and quirky are just a few of the words describing Don Coryell from those who knew and loved him best.

Hall of Famers Joe Gibbs,John Maddenand Dan Fouts, former NFLhead coach Jim Hannifan, and actor and former Aztec Fred Dryer all spoke at Don Coryell’s Celebration of Life held at San Diego State University’s Viejas Arena on Monday afternoon. Each shared personal stories of how Coryell impacted their lives.

The attendees included prestigious and well-loved individuals from the San Diego sports community. Hall of Famer Charlie Joiner, Hank Bauer, Rolf Bernirshke and “Big” Ed White were among the more than one hundred accomplished Chargers players and coaches who came to honor their former coach.

Intermixed among the former Chargers were those that played and coached with Coryell atSDSU. Each has a personal story to tell and many were wearing their former jerseys at the celebration. Behind Coryell’s former players sat the current SDSU football team wearing their jerseys. They were recognized with a spontaneous round of applause as if they were a Coryell-coached team.

Fouts began his emotional tribute: “This is absolutely what coach would have wanted, the Aztecs wearing their jerseys and his Chargers players wearing theirs.” Fouts continued, “I am often asked about coach. Why was he so successful? Why was he so unique? The word simplicity comes to mind.” According to Fouts, Coryell had a gift of simplifying the complicated.

Fouts went on to tell the story of his first game under Coryell. Gibbs and Hannifan were both assistant coaches. From the booth Gibbs relayed the next play to Hannifan who then attempted to explain to Fouts what he should do with the ball based on a series of complicated defensive reads. A flustered Fouts headed back to the huddle only to be stopped by Coryell. “Screw all that Danny. Just throw it to J.J. [John Jefferson].” J.J. went deep and the rest is history.

Simplicity worked just as well for Coryell off of the field. “We got the benefit of being around a man who lived everythinghe preached,” says Dryer. “He was as truthful and straightforward with you as he would be with anybody, his family member. You learn an awful lot by being around that. It is not an accident that he has such a following as a man.”

Dryer adds, “His big motto was, when given the opportunity, always thank people. It was a simple little axiom that he lived by and it proved to be the spine for who he was.”

With a spine like that, Coryell touched lives. “One life touches another and another and another,” says Fouts. “Don’s life has touched millions.”

Former Aztec Don Halte provides an example of how Coryell touched lives beyond football. “[Coryell] gave me an opportunity to succeed,” says Halte. “I learned a lot about that, about working hard.” After playing for Coryell at SDSU, Halte received invitations to NFL camps. Halte chose a different path. Instead of pursuing professional football, Halte choose a life as an educator and made a career of being a counselor at El Cajon Valley High School were he guided thousands to successful life paths. “[Coryell] was a role model, so I appreciate every opportunity I got through him.”

(On a personal note: Halte went on to touch my life. It was his guitar playing and singing that made it worthwhile for me, as a young boy,to get up early on Sunday mornings for 8 a.m. mass. Of course, every Sunday I wore a Dan Fouts jersey. Often I had to be home by 10, dressed and ready for a game.)

Fouts concluded his speech by promising that someday Coryell will be inducted in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. This was a popular topic among all of the speakers. “Don’t worry, he will get there,” says Fouts. “Wouldn’t it be great if we could have this type of celebration, this type of feeling, and move it to Canton, Ohio, one day?”

Likely it will take Coryell getting into the Hall of Fame to gather so much San Diego football prestige under one roof again. Even then, it will not be quite the same. One thing is for certain, whether or not Coryell is inducted into the Hall of Fame, ultimately he will be remembered as a Hall of Fame human being and that in itself makes Coryell a true champion of life.