Bobby Beathard, a legendary NFL general manager and a member of the Hall of Fame, passed away on Monday at the age of 86.
The cause of his death was complications from Alzheimer’s disease, according to his son Casey Beathard.
Throughout his nearly 40-year career in NFL front offices, Beathard held positions with the Kansas City Chiefs, Miami Dolphins, Washington Commanders, and the San Diego Chargers.
Known for his negotiation skills and talent assessment, Beathard was instrumental in constructing championship-winning teams, with a total of four Super Bowl wins and seven conference championships to his credit.
Rest in peace, Bobby 💛 pic.twitter.com/KPauvZdmU2
— Washington Commanders (@Commanders) February 1, 2023
Bobby Beathard’s high-level executive career began in 1972 when he joined the Miami Dolphins as director of player personnel after nearly a decade as a scout for the Kansas City Chiefs and the Atlanta Falcons. During his first year with the team, he contributed to the creation of the NFL’s only undefeated Super Bowl champion, alongside head coach and general manager Don Shula.
Throughout his five-year tenure with the Dolphins, Beathard was part of a winning culture, with the team recording 63 wins in the regular season and another Super Bowl victory in 1974. This success earned him the top front office position in Washington.
In Washington, Beathard was faced with the challenge of finding a replacement for the fired head coach Jack Pardee. After conducting a 3.5-hour interview with Joe Gibbs, the offensive coordinator for the Chargers, he was convinced that Gibbs was the right man for the job. Despite some initial reluctance from owner Jack Kent Cooke, Beathard ultimately succeeded in convincing Cooke to hire Gibbs as head coach.
According to an NBC interview, Bobby Beathard remembered Jack Kent Cooke asking, “Who in the hell is Joe Gibbs?” Cooke was skeptical about the hiring, warning Beathard that if they brought in someone with the name “Joe Gibbs”, they would be held accountable and potentially lose their jobs. However, Beathard reassured Cooke, encouraging him to “stick with it”.
The three men’s persistence proved to be successful. Beathard was able to draft talented players such as Art Monk, Darrell Green, Russ Grimm, Mark May, and others. With these players, Gibbs transformed Washington into a dominant team in the 1980s. Of the 1983 title-winning team in Washington, 26 players were signed as free agents by Beathard.
After two Super Bowl wins and five playoff berths with Washington, Beathard resigned in 1989. The team would go on to win another ring in 1991 with a similar roster. Beathard then worked as an NBC analyst for a year before becoming the general manager for the Chargers.
The Chargers, previously struggling, won their division during Beathard’s third season as GM and reached the Super Bowl in the 1994-95 season. Beathard retired in 2000 after admitting the drafting of Ryan Leaf, a player with great talent but limited success, was a mistake.