Colorado University Athletics
CU Hall of Famer Steve Sidwell Passes Away
August 24, 2023 | Football, Alumni C Club
Former linebacker coached 35 years in college and pro ranks
BOULDER — Steve Sidwell, a member of both the University of Colorado Athletic and New Orleans Saints Halls of Fame, passed away at his home in in Brewster, Mass., after a long illness Wednesday evening. Surrounded by his family, he passed exactly one week before his 79th birthday.
Sidwell starred as a linebacker for CU in the mid-1960's (1963-65), then spent two years as a graduate assistant coach before then-head coach Eddie Crowder named him CU's full-time linebackers coach in 1968. He would be at Crowder's side until his retirement in 1973, helping coach top defenses including for the 1971 team that finished No. 3 in the nation. Following CU, he went on to work as the defensive coordinator at UNLV (1974-75) and SMU (1976-81) before going into the pro ranks, a career in the National Football League that would last 21 seasons.
Ron Scott was a redshirt sophomore on the '65 CU team when Sidwell was a senior, and he relayed a story from the opener that season, a 0-0 tie at Wisconsin (the last scoreless game in CU history).
"Steve was a senior when I was a sophomore, and I was a nose guard at the time and played right in front of him," Scot said. "The thing that I appreciated from his standpoint is that I as a little bit overwhelmed, playing in my first game at Camp Randall (UW's stadium). Frankly, I was a mess, a nervous wreck. But he supported me all the way through the game. We had been lousy but we getting better, and Sid was as our senior captain and truly a great leader for the team, especially for us young guys getting our first exposure to college football. That included guys like Dick Anderson and Hale Irwin, who had been a quarterback but now was full-time on defense.
"I always appreciated him," he added. "Steve was a coach on the field, and took that and leveraged that into a fabulous career into the college and the NFL. And along the way, he never forgot his beloved Buffaloes."
"We saw a lot of each other, we were Fijis (fraternity brothers; Phi Gamma Delta)," Irwin said. "He helped perfect my efforts on the field. First, he was a guy who never stopped trying, a force when it came to effort, always giving 100 percent out there, a great example to his teammates.
"I do recall a time when I was sophomore, there was a deep pass and Sid was back there a ways and I couldn't get to it. Steve seemed to have thought that I should have hit the receiver. I didn't think there was a reason to, but Steve said, "At least hit the guy." That made an impression on me – that's the way he thought. His mindset – hit him and let him know you're there. That was the philosophy of college football back then, rules weren't as stringent, you could lead with your helmet. Steve did that as well as anybody."
"I always liked Steve because he put everything out in front," Irwin added. "You knew exactly where he stood and I always respected that about people. He always let you know what he thought. He was the same as a fraternity brother. Sid was a really good man, he taught me a lot that I took with me. He'll be missed."
After joining the professional ranks, he was first an assistant with New England (1982-84) and then at Indianapolis (1985) before joining the Saints staff as their defensive coordinator, one of four teams he would serve in that role. His stint with New Orleans was the most notable, as he was with the club for nine seasons (1986-94). In his tenure with the Saints, they led the league twice in fewest points allowed (1991-92), in rushing defense (1989) and in passing defense (1992-93). His head coach at the Saints was Jim Mora, who he had worked with at CU when Mora was on Crowder's staff for six seasons (1968-73).
Sidwell was inducted into the New Orleans Saints Hall-of-Fame in 2004.
He was also the D-coordinator with the Houston & Tennessee Oilers (1995-96), New England (1997-99) and Seattle (2000-02). In all, he coached a total of 31 players who would earn All-Pro accolades and player in the Pro Bowl.
Sidwell coached 35 seasons in all between college and professional ball.
As a first-team All-Big Eight linebacker for the Buffaloes as a senior in 1965, the same year he earned CoSIDA Academic All-America and Academic All-Big Eight honors. He became just the second player in school history at the time to earn the Academic & Athletic "double-double." He had 67 tackles as a senior, after registering 106, with an interception, as a junior in 1964; he played center on offense that season, the last year college football had a platoon system. He had 94 stops as a sophomore and thus had 267 for his career, the most by any Buff at the time of his graduation.
Sidwell was credited by many in helping lead CU back to respectability by the end of his career. He starred as a prep at Denver East High School and enrolled at CU in 1962 after the school had been besieged by NCAA penalties. He emerged quickly as one of Crowder's top defensive stars and helped turn the Colorado program around from three straight 2-8 records to a 6-2-2 mark his senior year, setting the stage for CU's successes later in the decade.
He was CU's first-ever Big Eight player-of-the week for his efforts in CU's 14-7 win at Iowa State as a junior, when he had 14 tackles (nine solo). He was a team tri-captain as a senior, when he was the co-recipient of the team's Most Valuable Player honor, both voted on by his teammates. He played in both the '65 Blue-Gray Game on Christmas Day and in the '66 Hula Bowl following his senior year. In 1989, he was selected to CU's All-Century Football Team (honorable mention) for the school's first 100 years of football.
Sidwell remained involved with CU after leaving the staff in 1973, returning whenever he could for events when his schedule permitted. He was also instrumental in coordinating the efforts to fund a C Club suite at Folsom Field in 2003 after the new east side structure opened that year.
"I follow the Buffs and I try to help their program any way I can," Sidwell told the Denver Post's Irv Moss in 2012. "It was fun going to school at Denver East and Colorado. I owe a lot to Eddie Crowder. He gave me the chance to play football there and to get started in a coaching career."
"Coach Sidwell's generosity and consideration to fund the Alumni C Club suite will forever be a legacy we celebrate within the organization," said its executive director Kimbirly Orr. "We will honor his legacy by hanging his photo in our suite in memory and tribute to Steve."
"I am sad to learn of the passing of Steve Sidwell," said New England Patriots Chairman and CEO Robert Kraft. "I really enjoyed the time I spent with him while he was here. He was always very honest and candid in his evaluation of our players and our performances. My thoughts are with his wife, Kathleen, his family and all who are mourning his loss. He will be missed."
New Orleans linebacker Pat Swilling, who played for the Saints from 1986-92, noted the impact Sidwell had on his career.
"I really believe I owe my career to Steve Sidwell and Vic Fangio (Saints linebacker coach from 1986-94), but more Steve Sidwell," he said, also a Saints Hall of Famer. "Because Steve Sidwell was the original guy who created that 3-4 defense that me and Rickey (Jackson), Sam (Mills) and Vaughan (Johnson) played in. As you kind of look around at all the great players who played in that defense over the years – Andre Tippett, Hall of Famer, played in it, Rickey is a Hall of Famer – I'm pretty sure there are some other guys who played in that defense and even today, Vic Fangio is still running that defense. I truly believe that my ability and what I was able to do as a player – and not only that, but I'm pretty sure Rickey would say the same thing – when he brought that defense to us, it was a game-changer for us as far as players, and the ability for the outside linebackers to be an integral part of making things happen."
Jackson, a member of the Pro Football and Saints' Hall of Fames, said Sidwell was a great coach.
"I think that everybody really liked Sid, because he liked all four of us linebackers," he recalled. "He was the mastermind of it. He worked well with the players, that's what I liked about Sid. If you saw something, you could tell him and he was the type that he'd go along with you. You had some coaches that didn't want you telling them nothing about what you'd see, but he was one of those coaches that you could communicate with him."
He was born August 30, 1944 in Winfield, Kansas. He is survived by wife Katie, sons Brad and Scott, and six grandchildren; a younger brother Dave and sister-in-law Greta, and three nieces and one nephew. His late father, Don, lettered in basketball for CU and was a member of the 1938 team that lost to Temple in the championship game of the first N.I.T. tourney in New York City; brother Dave is also a former Buff, lettering in 1967-68 at defensive tackle.
A service for Steve Sidwell will be held on Wednesday August 30th at 2:30 pm (EDT) at the Cape Cod Covenant Church, 11 Setucket Road, Brewster, Mass. For those wishing to join the service virtually, it will be streamed on this link: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWb827cwufAjcAmqVluoIKg.
NOTE: Select quotes courtesy of websites of New England Patriots and New Orleans Saints.
Sidwell starred as a linebacker for CU in the mid-1960's (1963-65), then spent two years as a graduate assistant coach before then-head coach Eddie Crowder named him CU's full-time linebackers coach in 1968. He would be at Crowder's side until his retirement in 1973, helping coach top defenses including for the 1971 team that finished No. 3 in the nation. Following CU, he went on to work as the defensive coordinator at UNLV (1974-75) and SMU (1976-81) before going into the pro ranks, a career in the National Football League that would last 21 seasons.
Ron Scott was a redshirt sophomore on the '65 CU team when Sidwell was a senior, and he relayed a story from the opener that season, a 0-0 tie at Wisconsin (the last scoreless game in CU history).
"Steve was a senior when I was a sophomore, and I was a nose guard at the time and played right in front of him," Scot said. "The thing that I appreciated from his standpoint is that I as a little bit overwhelmed, playing in my first game at Camp Randall (UW's stadium). Frankly, I was a mess, a nervous wreck. But he supported me all the way through the game. We had been lousy but we getting better, and Sid was as our senior captain and truly a great leader for the team, especially for us young guys getting our first exposure to college football. That included guys like Dick Anderson and Hale Irwin, who had been a quarterback but now was full-time on defense.
"I always appreciated him," he added. "Steve was a coach on the field, and took that and leveraged that into a fabulous career into the college and the NFL. And along the way, he never forgot his beloved Buffaloes."
"We saw a lot of each other, we were Fijis (fraternity brothers; Phi Gamma Delta)," Irwin said. "He helped perfect my efforts on the field. First, he was a guy who never stopped trying, a force when it came to effort, always giving 100 percent out there, a great example to his teammates.
"I do recall a time when I was sophomore, there was a deep pass and Sid was back there a ways and I couldn't get to it. Steve seemed to have thought that I should have hit the receiver. I didn't think there was a reason to, but Steve said, "At least hit the guy." That made an impression on me – that's the way he thought. His mindset – hit him and let him know you're there. That was the philosophy of college football back then, rules weren't as stringent, you could lead with your helmet. Steve did that as well as anybody."
"I always liked Steve because he put everything out in front," Irwin added. "You knew exactly where he stood and I always respected that about people. He always let you know what he thought. He was the same as a fraternity brother. Sid was a really good man, he taught me a lot that I took with me. He'll be missed."
After joining the professional ranks, he was first an assistant with New England (1982-84) and then at Indianapolis (1985) before joining the Saints staff as their defensive coordinator, one of four teams he would serve in that role. His stint with New Orleans was the most notable, as he was with the club for nine seasons (1986-94). In his tenure with the Saints, they led the league twice in fewest points allowed (1991-92), in rushing defense (1989) and in passing defense (1992-93). His head coach at the Saints was Jim Mora, who he had worked with at CU when Mora was on Crowder's staff for six seasons (1968-73).
Sidwell was inducted into the New Orleans Saints Hall-of-Fame in 2004.
He was also the D-coordinator with the Houston & Tennessee Oilers (1995-96), New England (1997-99) and Seattle (2000-02). In all, he coached a total of 31 players who would earn All-Pro accolades and player in the Pro Bowl.
Sidwell coached 35 seasons in all between college and professional ball.
As a first-team All-Big Eight linebacker for the Buffaloes as a senior in 1965, the same year he earned CoSIDA Academic All-America and Academic All-Big Eight honors. He became just the second player in school history at the time to earn the Academic & Athletic "double-double." He had 67 tackles as a senior, after registering 106, with an interception, as a junior in 1964; he played center on offense that season, the last year college football had a platoon system. He had 94 stops as a sophomore and thus had 267 for his career, the most by any Buff at the time of his graduation.
Sidwell was credited by many in helping lead CU back to respectability by the end of his career. He starred as a prep at Denver East High School and enrolled at CU in 1962 after the school had been besieged by NCAA penalties. He emerged quickly as one of Crowder's top defensive stars and helped turn the Colorado program around from three straight 2-8 records to a 6-2-2 mark his senior year, setting the stage for CU's successes later in the decade.
He was CU's first-ever Big Eight player-of-the week for his efforts in CU's 14-7 win at Iowa State as a junior, when he had 14 tackles (nine solo). He was a team tri-captain as a senior, when he was the co-recipient of the team's Most Valuable Player honor, both voted on by his teammates. He played in both the '65 Blue-Gray Game on Christmas Day and in the '66 Hula Bowl following his senior year. In 1989, he was selected to CU's All-Century Football Team (honorable mention) for the school's first 100 years of football.
Sidwell remained involved with CU after leaving the staff in 1973, returning whenever he could for events when his schedule permitted. He was also instrumental in coordinating the efforts to fund a C Club suite at Folsom Field in 2003 after the new east side structure opened that year.
"I follow the Buffs and I try to help their program any way I can," Sidwell told the Denver Post's Irv Moss in 2012. "It was fun going to school at Denver East and Colorado. I owe a lot to Eddie Crowder. He gave me the chance to play football there and to get started in a coaching career."
"Coach Sidwell's generosity and consideration to fund the Alumni C Club suite will forever be a legacy we celebrate within the organization," said its executive director Kimbirly Orr. "We will honor his legacy by hanging his photo in our suite in memory and tribute to Steve."
"I am sad to learn of the passing of Steve Sidwell," said New England Patriots Chairman and CEO Robert Kraft. "I really enjoyed the time I spent with him while he was here. He was always very honest and candid in his evaluation of our players and our performances. My thoughts are with his wife, Kathleen, his family and all who are mourning his loss. He will be missed."
New Orleans linebacker Pat Swilling, who played for the Saints from 1986-92, noted the impact Sidwell had on his career.
"I really believe I owe my career to Steve Sidwell and Vic Fangio (Saints linebacker coach from 1986-94), but more Steve Sidwell," he said, also a Saints Hall of Famer. "Because Steve Sidwell was the original guy who created that 3-4 defense that me and Rickey (Jackson), Sam (Mills) and Vaughan (Johnson) played in. As you kind of look around at all the great players who played in that defense over the years – Andre Tippett, Hall of Famer, played in it, Rickey is a Hall of Famer – I'm pretty sure there are some other guys who played in that defense and even today, Vic Fangio is still running that defense. I truly believe that my ability and what I was able to do as a player – and not only that, but I'm pretty sure Rickey would say the same thing – when he brought that defense to us, it was a game-changer for us as far as players, and the ability for the outside linebackers to be an integral part of making things happen."
Jackson, a member of the Pro Football and Saints' Hall of Fames, said Sidwell was a great coach.
"I think that everybody really liked Sid, because he liked all four of us linebackers," he recalled. "He was the mastermind of it. He worked well with the players, that's what I liked about Sid. If you saw something, you could tell him and he was the type that he'd go along with you. You had some coaches that didn't want you telling them nothing about what you'd see, but he was one of those coaches that you could communicate with him."
He was born August 30, 1944 in Winfield, Kansas. He is survived by wife Katie, sons Brad and Scott, and six grandchildren; a younger brother Dave and sister-in-law Greta, and three nieces and one nephew. His late father, Don, lettered in basketball for CU and was a member of the 1938 team that lost to Temple in the championship game of the first N.I.T. tourney in New York City; brother Dave is also a former Buff, lettering in 1967-68 at defensive tackle.
A service for Steve Sidwell will be held on Wednesday August 30th at 2:30 pm (EDT) at the Cape Cod Covenant Church, 11 Setucket Road, Brewster, Mass. For those wishing to join the service virtually, it will be streamed on this link: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWb827cwufAjcAmqVluoIKg.
NOTE: Select quotes courtesy of websites of New England Patriots and New Orleans Saints.
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