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Mike White, the accomplished football coach who spent time leading college programs and in the NFL with the Los Angeles/Oakland Raiders, has died.
White died in Newport Beach, California at the age of 89.
“The Raiders family is saddened by the passing of Mike White, former head coach of the Silver and Black and longtime coach and mentor at the NFL and college level,” the Raiders said in a statement. “The prayers of all of Raider Nation are with MIke’s family at this time.”
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Head coach Mike White of the Oakland Raiders watches from the sideline as an assistant coach gestures during a game against the Cincinnati Bengals at Riverfront Stadium on November 5, 1995, in Cincinnati. (George Gojkovitch/Getty Images)
White spent seven years coaching the Raiders, including two as head coach from 1995 to 1996. He previously served as quarterback and offensive line coach.
But White’s coaching career began at age 22, when he joined the Cal Golden Bears as defensive line coach in 1958 after being a four-sport athlete at the school in the 1950s.
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He held that position for six years before joining Stanford as offensive coordinator and offensive line coach from 1964 to 1971.
White’s time with the Golden Bears was not over, however, as he returned to Berkeley to lead them as head coach. He held this position from 1972 to 1977.
White finally broke into the NFL with the San Francisco 49ers in 1978, where he served as the team’s offensive line coach for two years.
Then it was back to college, this time leading the Illinois Fighting Illini from 1980 to 1987 as head coach.
After his time with the Raiders, White was an offensive assistant with the St. Louis Rams.
White’s coaching career spanned five decades and he had an impact on many coaches and players along the way.
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“Mike was special,” Burl Toler Jr., who played for the Golden Bears from 1974 to 1977, said of White. “He treated us like men and with a lot of respect. Mike was a very gifted and intelligent coach who loved Cal and loved coaching, and he surrounded himself with a lot of like-minded people who instilled in us the drive to succeed.”
