COPPELL, TX. (THECOUNT) — Wade Wilson, Dallas Cowboys QB and later a quarterback coach, coaching Troy Aikman‘s final season, has passed away on his 60th birthday.
Aikman took to Twitter to remember the beloved former teammate and coach:
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@TroyAikman “Sad news today as we lost a teammate far too soon. Wade Wilson was my backup from 1995-‘97 and my QB coach my last season in 2000. Prayers for his children and family. #RIP”
The Cowboys said Wilson passed away Friday at his home in Coppell, Texas. The team didn’t specify a cause of death for Wilson.
Wilson was born in Greenville, but the family soon moved to Commerce, where he grew up, reports KLTV.
Wilson played for five NFL teams from 1981-98. He played 10 seasons for the Minnesota Vikings, leading them to the 1987 NFC championship game. He also played for the Atlanta Falcons (1992), New Orleans Saints (1993-94), Cowboys (1995-97) and Oakland Raiders (1998). He was Troy Aikman’s backup when the Cowboys won their last Super Bowl title during the 1995 season.
@dallascowboys “Sending our deepest sympathies to the family and friends of Wade Wilson. The longtime NFL player and #DallasCowboys assistant coach passed away Friday on his birthday at the age of 60.”
Wilson began his coaching career as the Cowboys quarterback coach from 2000-02, and returned to that role from 2007-17. He coached with the Chicago Bears from 2004-06.
Wilson played high school ball in Commerce, and was an all-american quarterback at East Texas State, now Texas A&M Commerce.
Geo quick facts: Coppell is a city in the northwest corner of Dallas County in the U.S. state of Texas. It is a suburb of Dallas and a bedroom community in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. The population was 38,659 at the 2010 census. A small area in the far northern portion of the city extends into neighboring Denton County – Wikipedia.