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Jimbo Fisher on the passing of legendary coach Bobby Bowden

275133747_4796292347117549_592518599057046758_nby:Jonathan Wagner•08/08/21•

Jonathan Wagner

jimbo-fisher-on-bobby-bowden-passing
Streeter Lecka via Getty Images.

After announcing on July 21 that he had been diagnosed with terminal pancreatic cancer, legendary head coach Bobby Bowden passed away early Sunday morning. Former Florida State head coach and current Texas A&M coach Jimbo Fisher spoke about Bowden’s passing in a press conference late Sunday morning.

Fisher remembers Bowden’s legacy

When Bowden’s 34-year Florida State career came to an end, Fisher was the man that followed him. Fisher coached the next eight seasons at Florida State before leaving to become Texas A&M’s head coach. Fisher said that Bowden meant a lot to him.

“Keep the Bowden family in your prayers,” Fisher said. “We lost a good man in coach Bobby Bowden today. He meant so many things to so many people, and a ton to me. Not only just when I coached with him, but when I was learning to be a coach around him and at different times with his family. It was just the kind of person he was and who he was.

“It’s amazing how he affected so many people. He lived his life the way it was. There is no finer gentleman and coach that has ever walked the sideline. Just a tremendous human being. The lives he touched and the players he touched, that’s his legacy and what he always talked about. The last time we talked, he said those things. He definitely lived a fulfilled life and he said he was ready. He knows where he’s at, that’s for sure.”

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Bobby Bowden on his legacy

In 2009, Mike Freeman wrote BOWDEN – How Bobby Bowden Forged a College Football Dynasty. In it, Bobby Bowden detailed how we wanted to be remembered.

“A lot of people in the past have asked me what about my legacy,” Bowden shared with Freeman.  “I’ve said this and that and I don’t like talking about it all that much, but I answer the question the best I can.  I want people to say, ‘He was one of the best.’ Not the best.  Just one of the best.  I want people to say I didn’t cheat.  We made some mistakes here, but I never had a win-at-all-costs mentality.  We had that dadgum Free Shoes University thing, but we didn’t know what the players were doing and anyone who says we did isn’t telling the truth.  I would’ve rather lost than be seen as a guy who won and cheated.  I guess I want my legacy to be we won and we mostly won the right way. And along the way, people had fun, and I treated people with respect and decency, I was something Florida State could be proud of.  They’d say, ‘That dadgum Bowden was a good guy.’  That’s how I hope I’ll be remembered.”

On3’s Jamie Oakes contributed to this report.