Football pioneer and Dartmouth legend Buddy Teevens died Tuesday, six months after suffering serious injuries as a result of a bicycle accident, the school announced. He was 66 years old.
“Our family is extremely saddened to inform you that our beloved coach has passed away peacefully surrounded by his family. Unfortunately, the injuries he sustained proved too difficult for him to even overcome,” Teevens’ family said in a statement. “Throughout this journey, we were constantly being moved.” The thoughts, memories, and love he sent his way. Your kindness and messages of encouragement did not go unnoticed and were greatly appreciated by both Buddy and our family.
He added: “We are confident and relieved that he died knowing how much love and admiration he had.”
Tevins is survived by his wife, Kirsten, their children Lindsay and Buddy Jr., and their four grandchildren. He has been an integral part of the Dartmouth community for most of his life, first as a prolific player and then as head coach, where he had two stints spanning nearly 25 years.
“This is tragic news for Dartmouth and the entire football world,” Dartmouth President Sian Lea Belloc and Athletic Director Mike Harrity said in an email sent to the school community. “Buddy was not only synonymous with Dartmouth football, he was a beloved coach and an innovative and inspiring leader who helped shape the lives of generations of students.”
Teevens was one of the most important pioneers in football history, an advocate for player safety and a force for inclusion in the game. Tevins was the first college football coach to eliminate live tackles from practices, believing it was an essential step to address concerns about head impacts and other injuries in a sport known for its violent collisions.
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Instead, Teevens chose to rely on the Mobile Virtual Player, a remote-controlled intervention dummy—a concept he developed alongside former colleague John Currier in the spring of 2011. The robot can teach proper intervention technique without Adding more wear and tear. Football players traditionally bear. The practice — which his peers initially told him would cost him his job — has become more widespread at both the college and professional levels.
Later, he became the first college football coach to hire women to his staff full-time. Teevens has also worked to identify and develop quality candidates and participates in the NFL Women’s Soccer Careers Forum at the Scouting Complex each year in Indianapolis.
“Not many people have contributed more to the game than Buddy,” said NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, who is also a friend of Teevens’. The athlete in June. “It’s unique because it had a lot of connection points to the future of the game as well as the past.”
Teevens was seriously injured in a bicycle accident on the evening of March 16 on State Route A1A in St. Augustine, Florida. Tevins suffered spinal cord injuries and his right leg was amputated after he was struck by a Ford F150. Kirsten said this summer she and Buddy moved to Boston to continue his rehabilitation near family and friends.
Sammy McCorkle served as Dartmouth’s interim coach this season in Teevens’ absence. He and Harrity told the team about Teevens’ death after practice Tuesday.
(Photo: Andy Lewis/Ikon Sportswire via Getty Images)
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