news-engine

The Kansas City Chiefs received some heartbreaking news less than one month before the start of the 2026 NFL Season. One of their former coaches has passed away, leaving a family heartbroken and a community in shock. The news surfaced on Tuesday morning and has since made headlines around the league. Here are the details. “He Was Found Unresponsive” College Football Coach’s Cause Of Death Revealed – Breaking News – Gridiron Heroics Former Chiefs Coach Passes Away – Fans React “This Is Terrible” He was the son of the Chiefs‘ head coach in the late 1980s and the former special-teams coordinator for the franchise. Frank Granz Jr. passed away at the age of 64. Darrin Chiaverini, Northeastern State University’s football coach, announced the news on social media. There was no mention of a cause of death in the post. “’Frankie’ was one of the best coaches and teachers I have been around in my career. I was his assistant (at UCLA) in 2009 and I enjoyed everyday being around Coach Gansz!” Chiaverini wrote. “He taught you about more than football…he taught you about life! I will forever miss you ‘Frankie’…Love you always for everything you did for our family and who you were as a person! Rest in paradise.” Gansz Jr. has been working for the St. Louis Battlehawks of the UFL as special-teams coordinator. His father was the Chiefs‘ head coach from 1987 to 1988. After getting his degree from The Citadel two years earlier, Gansz Jr. worked as a graduate assistant at University of Kansas in 1987 when his father was the Chiefs’ coach. Following Lawrence, he had stints at Pittsburgh, Army, and Houston, and then spent a season with New York/New Jersey. After two seasons with the Raiders, Dick Vermeil hired Gansz Jr. as special-teams coordinator. “I knew what I wanted,” Vermeil told The Star in 2001. “I wanted (Frank Jr.). There won’t ever be another Frank Gansz coaching special teams, OK? We’re very smart to allow Frank Jr. to be Frank Jr. “I see the intensity, the voice command, the demanding style, the attention to detail. He’s not the philosopher Frank (Sr.) is or the guy that’s read everything there is about world history, in every world. But he is a chip off the old block.” The Chiefs led the league in punt-return average (16.4) as well as kick-return average (25.4) during the 2003 season. It was Dante Hall who led the NFL in punt-return average, punt-return touchdowns, and kickoff-return touchdowns. During that season, the Chiefs also blocked two field goals.