Vikings OL Coach Tony Sparano Passed Away At Age 56

Update:

The Vikings announced that OL coach Tony Sparano unexpectedly passed away Sunday morning.

With deep regret the Minnesota Vikings announce that Offensive Line Coach Tony Sparano unexpectedly passed away early this morning.https://t.co/AEjLksRoUp pic.twitter.com/sCJtnEvCVA

— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) July 22, 2018

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KSTP reports that Vikings OL coach Tony Sparano has passed away at the age of 56.

• Chris Mortensen reports that Sparano complained about chest pains this weekend and went to the hospital on Thursday. Doctors did tests before releasing him on Friday.
• According to Mortensen, Sparano and his wife, Jeannette, were about to leave for church this morning when she found him unconscious in their kitchen. She tried CPR, but he could not be revived.

Sparano, 56, joined the Vikings as their offensive line coach in 2016 and was the previous head coach of the Dolphins in 2008 and Raiders in 2014.

His extensive coaching career in the NFL began in 1999 with the Browns before moving onto the Redskins, Jaguars, and Cowboys before being hired by Miami in 2008. After four years with the Dolphins, he was hired by the Jets as their offensive coordinator for one season.

The Raiders hired him as an assistant head coach and offensive line coach and was promoted to interim head coach following the team firing Dennis Allen.

After spending 2015 as the 49ers’ tight ends coach, the Vikings hired him to coach the offensive line.