Former Green Bay Packers offensive coordinator Sherman Lewis, 83, died May 15.
Lewis was offensive coordinator for the Packers when they went to two Super Bowls in the 1990s, winning one. Those weren’t his first Super Bowls. He was running backs and wide receivers coach for the San Francisco 49ers before joining Mike Holmgren in Green Bay. The 49ers won three Super Bowls while he was on their staff.
Lewis joined the Packers in 1992, when Holmgren came from San Francisco to be head coach. He remained through the 1999 season, when Ray Rhodes was fired after one season as head coach. Lewis was offensive coordinator for the Minnesota Vikings and Detroit Lions, before finishing his career as an offensive consultant in 2009 for Washington.
Lewis and Rhodes were the first Black defensive and offensive coordinators on the same NFL team. Both were assistant coaches with the 49ers with Holmgren.
Lewis was a star halfback at Michigan State University, where he was an All-American and finished third in Heisman Trophy voting in 1963, one of two Michigan State players to ever finish in third place or better. He also won three Big Ten track titles and was a captain for both the football and track teams.
Lewis rushed for 577 yards during his senior year and had 11 receptions for 303 yards. Lewis ended his college career with 1,566 yards and 23 touchdowns, placing him fifth and third on the team’s all-time lists, respectively, according to The State News.
He began his professional career with the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League before joining the New York Jets of the American Football League. He ended his playing career after the 1967 season, and joined Michigan State as a football coach. He was there for 13 years before Bill Walsh made him running backs coach in San Francisco.
Lewis is a member of the Michigan State University Athletics Hall of Fame, whose members include former Packers defensive back Herb Adderley and former Packers receiver Andre Rison. He also received an Award of Excellence from the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The award recognizes individuals who helped drive the accomplishments of their profession, individual NFL Clubs and the sport of pro football.
Contact Richard Ryman at rryman@usatodayco.com. Follow him on X at @RichRymanPG and on Instagram at @rrymanPG.
This article originally appeared on Green Bay Press-Gazette: Ex-Green Bay Packers offensive coordinator Sherman Lewis dead at 83
Reporting by Richard Ryman, Green Bay Press-Gazette / Green Bay Press-Gazette
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