Frank Gansz Jr., a longtime special teams coach in the National Football League and the United Football League, has died at the age of 64. The UFL announced his death, but a cause has not been disclosed.
Gansz Jr. was most recently the special teams coach for the St. Louis Battlehawks of the UFL. He had a significant career in the NFL, spanning nine seasons. He coached for the Raiders from 1998 to 1999, the Chiefs from 2001 to 2005, and the Ravens from 2006 to 2007.
During his tenure with the Chiefs, Gansz Jr. led one of the decade's most effective special teams units, which included return specialist Dante Hall. After his NFL career, he moved to the college ranks, coaching at UCLA from 2008 to 2011, where he contributed to the development of kicker Kai Forbath. He then took on the special teams coaching role at SMU in 2011, a position previously held by his father.
The Gansz family holds a respected place in football history, particularly for their contributions to special teams coaching. Frank Gansz Sr., his father, is credited with establishing the special teams coordinator position. Gansz Sr. was a two-time Special Teams Coach of the Year, earning the award with the Lions in 1989 and the Rams, with whom he won a Super Bowl in 1999 as part of the "Greatest Show on Turf" coaching staff.
Following his time in college football, Gansz Jr. returned to professional football in 2013, coaching in various lower-level leagues, including the Canadian Football League, the XFL, and the USFL.
The United Football League issued a statement expressing condolences to the Gansz family, friends, former players, and coaches. The league acknowledged Gansz Jr.'s passion, knowledge, and competitiveness, stating that his example will be remembered and carried forward by those he influenced.