Fitzgerald spent more than 35 years working as a football coach for several university and professional football teams. He held assistant coaching positions at, among others, the University of Michigan, University of Kentucky, Syracuse University, Tulane University and Grand Valley State University. He was the head football coach at Kent State University from 1975 to 1977 and spent seven years (1982–1988) as an assistant coach for the Pittsburgh Steelers under head coach Chuck Noll. His final coaching position was as the defensive coordinator for the Albany Firebirds of the Arena Football League.
Fitzgerald spent nine years as an assistant coach under Chuck Noll, serving as the linebackers coach from 1982 to 1986 and special tams coach from 1987 to 1988. He came within one game of the Super Bowl in 1984, when the Steelers lost to the Miami Dolphins in the AFC Championship Game. After the Steelers gave up six blocked punts in the 1988 NFL season, Fitzgerald was fired from the Steelers' coaching staff in January 1989.
When Jack Lambert was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1990, he asked Fitzgerald to present him at the induction ceremony. Lambert said, "I chose coach Fitzgerald because I felt he, more than anyone else, taught me the techniques and the fundamentals that I used throughout college and professional football. But even more importantly, he took a raw talent and raw toughness in me and refined them into a mental discipline; a discipline that is necessary to excel."
After leaving the Steelers, Fitzgerald was the defensive coordinator and linebackers coach for the Las Vegas Aces in the Professional Spring Football League starting in 1992, and the Cleveland Thunderbolts in the Arena Football League.
In 1994, Fitzgerald served as the defensive line coach at Grand Valley State University. He continued to coach at Grand Valley through the 1996 season.
Fitzgerald was the defensive coordinator for the Albany Firebirds of the Arena Football League from 1995 to 1996 and 1998 to 1999. During the 1995 and 1996 seasons, Fitzgerald continued to coach at Grand Valley in the fall while coaching with the Firebirds during the spring and summer.
In between stints with the Firebirds, Fitzgerald spent the 1997 season as defensive coordinator for the James Madison Dukes. Shortly after he was hired at James Madison, the Richmond Times-Dispatch wrote, "So last winter, when James Madison coach Alex Wood sought a zero-tolerance coordinator who could firm up a defense that turned flaccid over the past two seasons, he called Fitzgerald, who's 61 going on 35."
He was diagnosed with lymphoma before the 1999 season, but remained with the team as he underwent chemotherapy treatments. The Firebirds won the Arena Bowl in 1999, Fitzgerald's last year as a coach. His wife later said, "It was his last year of coaching, and he underwent radiation treatment and never missed a day of practice. When he retired in 1999, he already had lymphoma for eight months."
Due to his illness, Fitzgerald was forced to retire before the 2000 season. He died in January 2001 at his home in Allison Park, Pennsylvania. He was survived by his wife, Elizabeth, five daughters (Maureen, Molly, Margaret, Katharine and Eileen), and a son, Timothy .
Fitzgerald spent nine years as an assistant coach under Chuck Noll, serving as the linebackers coach from 1982 to 1986 and special tams coach from 1987 to 1988. He came within one game of the Super Bowl in 1984, when the Steelers lost to the Miami Dolphins in the AFC Championship Game. After the Steelers gave up six blocked punts in the 1988 NFL season, Fitzgerald was fired from the Steelers' coaching staff in January 1989.
When Jack Lambert was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1990, he asked Fitzgerald to present him at the induction ceremony. Lambert said, "I chose coach Fitzgerald because I felt he, more than anyone else, taught me the techniques and the fundamentals that I used throughout college and professional football. But even more importantly, he took a raw talent and raw toughness in me and refined them into a mental discipline; a discipline that is necessary to excel."
After leaving the Steelers, Fitzgerald was the defensive coordinator and linebackers coach for the Las Vegas Aces in the Professional Spring Football League starting in 1992, and the Cleveland Thunderbolts in the Arena Football League.
In 1994, Fitzgerald served as the defensive line coach at Grand Valley State University. He continued to coach at Grand Valley through the 1996 season.
Fitzgerald was the defensive coordinator for the Albany Firebirds of the Arena Football League from 1995 to 1996 and 1998 to 1999. During the 1995 and 1996 seasons, Fitzgerald continued to coach at Grand Valley in the fall while coaching with the Firebirds during the spring and summer.
In between stints with the Firebirds, Fitzgerald spent the 1997 season as defensive coordinator for the James Madison Dukes. Shortly after he was hired at James Madison, the Richmond Times-Dispatch wrote, "So last winter, when James Madison coach Alex Wood sought a zero-tolerance coordinator who could firm up a defense that turned flaccid over the past two seasons, he called Fitzgerald, who's 61 going on 35."
He was diagnosed with lymphoma before the 1999 season, but remained with the team as he underwent chemotherapy treatments. The Firebirds won the Arena Bowl in 1999, Fitzgerald's last year as a coach. His wife later said, "It was his last year of coaching, and he underwent radiation treatment and never missed a day of practice. When he retired in 1999, he already had lymphoma for eight months."
Due to his illness, Fitzgerald was forced to retire before the 2000 season. He died in January 2001 at his home in Allison Park, Pennsylvania. He was survived by his wife, Elizabeth, five daughters (Maureen, Molly, Margaret, Katharine and Eileen), and a son, Timothy .
Fitzgerald spent more than 35 years working as a football coach for several university and professional football teams. He held assistant coaching positions at, among others, the University of Michigan, University of Kentucky, Syracuse University, Tulane University and Grand Valley State University. He was the head football coach at Kent State University from 1975 to 1977 and spent seven years (1982–1988) as an assistant coach for the Pittsburgh Steelers under head coach Chuck Noll. His final coaching position was as the defensive coordinator for the Albany Firebirds of the Arena Football League.
Fitzgerald spent nine years as an assistant coach under Chuck Noll, serving as the linebackers coach from 1982 to 1986 and special tams coach from 1987 to 1988. He came within one game of the Super Bowl in 1984, when the Steelers lost to the Miami Dolphins in the AFC Championship Game. After the Steelers gave up six blocked punts in the 1988 NFL season, Fitzgerald was fired from the Steelers' coaching staff in January 1989.
When Jack Lambert was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1990, he asked Fitzgerald to present him at the induction ceremony. Lambert said, "I chose coach Fitzgerald because I felt he, more than anyone else, taught me the techniques and the fundamentals that I used throughout college and professional football. But even more importantly, he took a raw talent and raw toughness in me and refined them into a mental discipline; a discipline that is necessary to excel."
After leaving the Steelers, Fitzgerald was the defensive coordinator and linebackers coach for the Las Vegas Aces in the Professional Spring Football League starting in 1992, and the Cleveland Thunderbolts in the Arena Football League.
In 1994, Fitzgerald served as the defensive line coach at Grand Valley State University. He continued to coach at Grand Valley through the 1996 season.
Fitzgerald was the defensive coordinator for the Albany Firebirds of the Arena Football League from 1995 to 1996 and 1998 to 1999. During the 1995 and 1996 seasons, Fitzgerald continued to coach at Grand Valley in the fall while coaching with the Firebirds during the spring and summer.
In between stints with the Firebirds, Fitzgerald spent the 1997 season as defensive coordinator for the James Madison Dukes. Shortly after he was hired at James Madison, the Richmond Times-Dispatch wrote, "So last winter, when James Madison coach Alex Wood sought a zero-tolerance coordinator who could firm up a defense that turned flaccid over the past two seasons, he called Fitzgerald, who's 61 going on 35."
He was diagnosed with lymphoma before the 1999 season, but remained with the team as he underwent chemotherapy treatments. The Firebirds won the Arena Bowl in 1999, Fitzgerald's last year as a coach. His wife later said, "It was his last year of coaching, and he underwent radiation treatment and never missed a day of practice. When he retired in 1999, he already had lymphoma for eight months."
Due to his illness, Fitzgerald was forced to retire before the 2000 season. He died in January 2001 at his home in Allison Park, Pennsylvania. He was survived by his wife, Elizabeth, five daughters (Maureen, Molly, Margaret, Katharine and Eileen), and a son, Timothy .
Fitzgerald spent nine years as an assistant coach under Chuck Noll, serving as the linebackers coach from 1982 to 1986 and special tams coach from 1987 to 1988. He came within one game of the Super Bowl in 1984, when the Steelers lost to the Miami Dolphins in the AFC Championship Game. After the Steelers gave up six blocked punts in the 1988 NFL season, Fitzgerald was fired from the Steelers' coaching staff in January 1989.
When Jack Lambert was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1990, he asked Fitzgerald to present him at the induction ceremony. Lambert said, "I chose coach Fitzgerald because I felt he, more than anyone else, taught me the techniques and the fundamentals that I used throughout college and professional football. But even more importantly, he took a raw talent and raw toughness in me and refined them into a mental discipline; a discipline that is necessary to excel."
After leaving the Steelers, Fitzgerald was the defensive coordinator and linebackers coach for the Las Vegas Aces in the Professional Spring Football League starting in 1992, and the Cleveland Thunderbolts in the Arena Football League.
In 1994, Fitzgerald served as the defensive line coach at Grand Valley State University. He continued to coach at Grand Valley through the 1996 season.
Fitzgerald was the defensive coordinator for the Albany Firebirds of the Arena Football League from 1995 to 1996 and 1998 to 1999. During the 1995 and 1996 seasons, Fitzgerald continued to coach at Grand Valley in the fall while coaching with the Firebirds during the spring and summer.
In between stints with the Firebirds, Fitzgerald spent the 1997 season as defensive coordinator for the James Madison Dukes. Shortly after he was hired at James Madison, the Richmond Times-Dispatch wrote, "So last winter, when James Madison coach Alex Wood sought a zero-tolerance coordinator who could firm up a defense that turned flaccid over the past two seasons, he called Fitzgerald, who's 61 going on 35."
He was diagnosed with lymphoma before the 1999 season, but remained with the team as he underwent chemotherapy treatments. The Firebirds won the Arena Bowl in 1999, Fitzgerald's last year as a coach. His wife later said, "It was his last year of coaching, and he underwent radiation treatment and never missed a day of practice. When he retired in 1999, he already had lymphoma for eight months."
Due to his illness, Fitzgerald was forced to retire before the 2000 season. He died in January 2001 at his home in Allison Park, Pennsylvania. He was survived by his wife, Elizabeth, five daughters (Maureen, Molly, Margaret, Katharine and Eileen), and a son, Timothy .
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J. Dennis Fitzgerald
March 13 1936 - January 14, 2001
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