Greg Landry, an assistant coach and former quarterback for the Detroit Lions, passed away at the age of 77, the organization reported.
The Lions said on social media on Friday, “We join the NFL community in mourning the loss of former Lions quarterback and coach Greg Landry.”
It was not stated what caused his death.
Landry, a native of New Hampshire, excelled during his time at UMass until the Lions selected him with the 11th overall pick in the 1968 NFL Draft. In 1971, he started for them as a starter and went on to have his best season, ultimately being selected for his only Pro Bowl.
Landry began his career with the Lions, playing from 1968 to 1978, before moving to the then-Baltimore Colts from 1979 to 1981. After two seasons in the USFL, he made a brief return to the NFL, where he played one game in 1984. In that game, he helped the injury-plagued Chicago Bears secure a victory over the team that originally drafted him.
Throughout his career, Landry amassed impressive statistics, throwing for 16,052 yards, with 98 touchdown passes and 103 interceptions across 146 games, including 98 starts. He was also an exceptional rushing quarterback, gaining 2,665 yards and scoring 21 rushing touchdowns.
After retiring as a player, Landry transitioned to coaching. He served as an assistant coach for the Cleveland Browns in 1985, then joined the Chicago Bears from 1986 to 1992. During his final five seasons with the Bears, he took on the role of offensive coordinator. He also held the offensive coordinator position at the University of Illinois from 1993 to 1994.
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