Former Tampa Bay Buccaneers tight end Calvin Magee, who was in his first year as an assistant coach at Jacksonville State, died at age 59 after a suffered heart attack last weekend.
The school announced news of Magee’s death on Friday. No funeral details have been announced.
“Our hearts are broken with the loss of our beloved friend Calvin Magee,” Jacksonville State head coach Rich Rodriguez said in a statement. “Calvin was a great husband, great father and grandfather, great coach, great friend and great man. He impacted my life and the lives of so many others in such a positive way. … Our world is less, but heaven got better. I miss him dearly already. I love you my brother.”
Magee, who was hired by the school in December, also held titles of offensive coordinator and tight ends coach. He spent 25 of the previous 26 seasons at numerous FBS spots and served as offensive coordinator at five of them: West Virginia, Michigan, Pittsburgh, Arizona and New Mexico.
Magee was a star tight end at Southern University who was eventually inducted into the school’s Hall of Fame in 2000. He joined the Buccaneers as an undrafted free agent in 1985 and spent four seasons with the team.
The Buccaneers released a statement that reda, “Calvin Magee was part of the Tampa Bay community for many years, first as a Buccaneers player, and then as a high school and college coach. We send our condolences to his family, friends and the countless players he impacted in his more than three decades coaching the game.”
In his four NFL seasons, Magee caught 114 passes for 1,379 yards and 11 touchdown passes in 56 games (34 starts).