USA Football

The man who started an offensive revolution in football and was among the game's greatest teachers has passed away.

Bill Walsh, creator of the West Coast offense and winner of three Super Bowls as coach of the San Francisco 49ers, lost his battle with leukemia Monday morning. He died in his home at the age of 75.

He is survived by wife Geri, son Craig and daughter Elizabeth. Tragically, son Steve lost his life to leukemia at age 46 in 2002.

Walsh guided the Niners to championships in 1982, 1985 and 1989 after a stint as head coach at Stanford University. Prior to that, Walsh served as an assistant coach with the Oakland Raiders, Cincinnati Bengals and San Diego Chargers.

Walsh, who twice served as the 49ers general manager and was elected to the National Football League Hall of Fame in 1993, gained more fame during his career and following his retirement for his influence on future NFL coaches, as well as those at the high school and college levels.

The list of past and current NFL head coaches who either assisted or played under Walsh is impressive. Among them was George Seifert, who engineered two more 49ers drives to Super Bowl championships. Mike Holmgren, Dennis Green, Sam Wyche, Ray Rhodes and Bruce Coslet all became NFL head coaches after serving on Walsh's staff, while 2007 Super Bowl winning coach Tony Dungy played under him.

Walsh's teachings spread when his assistants taught his strategies to eventual head coaches such as Mike Shanahan, Jon Gruden, Brian Billick, Andy Reid, Pete Carroll, Gary Kubiak, Steve Mariucci and Jeff Fisher.

His death came unexpectedly to the public, but not to his close compatriots. Former Bills coach Marv Levy had spoken to Walsh six weeks ago.

"I asked him how he was doing, and he said he had come off a certain type of treatment and he felt much more energy," Levy told the Associated Press. "But he told me then, he said, 'Marv, I don't have long.' He said it honestly. He was vibrant. Understood it. And yet, I was sad to hear it."

Walsh was known as much as a teacher and innovator as he was as a coach. Not only did he create the West Coast offense, which emphasizes the short passing game and multiple distribution of the football, but he developed material that high school coaches still use today to maximize the talent of their players.

Among Walsh's more recent projects was writing a foreword to a book written by  Scott Lancaster titled, "Fair Play: Pro Football's Radical Program That's Successfully Changing the Future of Youth Sports." The mission of the book supports Walsh's goals of making youth football a rewarding experience through equal involvement and playing time for every participant.

Walsh's contributions to the sport as an instructor and innovator were expressed by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, who issued the following statement on Monday:

"The essence of Bill Walsh was that he was an extraordinary teacher. If you gave him a blackboard and a piece of chalk, he would become a whirlwind of wisdom. He taught all of us not only about football but also about life and how it takes teamwork for any of us to succeed as individuals."

The 49ers had struggled as a franchise for decades before Walsh arrived. They finished 2-14 in his first year, but blossomed after the team drafted quarterback Joe Montana in 1979. Walsh and Montana led them to their first Super Bowl victory two years later.