DEEP DIVE

Tony Sparano (not to be confused with Tony Soprano the fictional gangster) was the offensive line coach for the Minnesota Vikings. He is the former head coach of the Raiders and the Dolphins. Soprano died on July 22, 2018.

I am forever grateful to have had Tony Sparano in my life. He believed in hard work, honesty, & the power of people working together for a common purpose & goal. Reading the words of his players & my teammates confirms the impact Coach had on all of us. We love you Coach!

— Chad Pennington (@ChadPennington) July 23, 2018

I’m still In shock about the passing of Tony Sparano! He was a players coach everybody loved him, he gave me a chance to come to Miami and show that I could be an every down running back when not many people believed in me! He will be missed but not forgotten! Love you coach RIP

— Reggie Bush (@ReggieBush) July 22, 2018

At the risk of minimizing any of the other great coaches and people in the NFL, I don’t think I’ve ever met someone who cared more about his players — truly cared about their well being — than Tony Sparano.

He was loyal. And passionate. And genuine. I’m so sad for his family.

— Jeff Darlington (@JeffDarlington) July 22, 2018