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The Eagles are mourning the loss of former wide receivers coach Dick Coury. He was 90.
Coury, who served on Dick Vermeil’s staff from 1976-81, died from complications following an undisclosed surgery. The Ohio native coached football for 41 years at various levels, including 30 years in the NFL. He was part of the 1980 Eagles team that advanced to Super Bowl XV only to come up short against Oakland.
According to Vermeil, Coury wore his NFC Championship ring from that 1980 season until his passing. The mild-mannered coach loved his time in Philly.
“Once you work with Dick Coury, you never forget him,” Vermeil told Eagles Insider Chris McPherson. “He had a natural compassion for kids. I don’t think I’ve ever been with a coach that could coach so well with almost never raising his voice. He was just so even-tempered.”
He was credited for developing Harold Carmichael and watched the future Hall-of-Fame receiver record two 1,000-yard seasons under his tutelage. Coury served as defensive coordinator for three years at USC under legendary coach John McKay and helped the Trojans claim the 1967 national championship.
In addition, he was the revered head coach at Mater Dei where he single-handedly turned the Califonia prep school into a national powerhouse. He led the Monarchs to three CIF Southern Section titles and seven league titles, with a record of 85-9-5 from 1957 to 1965.
“A great Monarch has gone home,” Mater Dei head coach Bruce Rollinson said, via the Orange County Register. “The Monarch community is mourning his loss.”
Coury also spent one year in the upstart USFL and won Coach of the Year honors in 1983 after leading the Boston Breakers to an 11-7 record. He worked with eight total NFL teams in his illustrious coaching career, including the Eagles, Oilers, Patriots, Rams, Broncos, Vikings, Steelers and Chargers.
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Tough Week for Former Eagles Coaches
Earlier this week, the Eagles lost another coaching legend when offensive line coach Howard Mudd died from injuries related to a serious motorcycle accident. He was 78.
Mudd, who spent two seasons in Philly, was lured out of retirement by then-coach Andy Reid in 2011 after a long and distinguished career in Indianapolis. The curmudgeonly coach was known for dropping “pearls of wisdom” on his young players, especially a sixth-round draft pick named Jason Kelce. Mudd has been praised for helping transform Kelce into an All-Pro center, along with elevating the games of both Evan Mathis and Jason Peters.
“I’m very prejudiced about Jason Kelce,” Mudd said of Kelce in 2017, via The Inquirer. “I love him. I like his spirit. I like his intelligence, and I like his accountability.”
His players understood that Mudd’s toughness — and sometimes colorful language — was always done with the best of intentions.
“He was never out to make anything personal,” Mathis told The Inquirer. “His only intent was to serve the greatest good for the player and the team.”
Mudd finally retired for good in 2019 after a brilliant 38-year coaching run in the NFL, including a win in Super Bowl XLI. He was recognized with the Pro Football Writers of America Lifetime Achievement Award in 2014. And probably deserves a spot in Canton someday soon.
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