He was 68 years old.
Coleman spent his entire 16-year NFL career with Washington, which first selected him in the 11th round of the 1979 draft. He quickly became a fixture on the franchise’s defense and even led the league with 118 total tackles during his second season in 1980. In total, Coleman finished with 1,002 combined tackles and 49.5 sacks when he retired after the 1994 campaign. He also had 17 interceptions, including three he ran for touchdowns.Advertisement
Coleman also helped Washington win three Super Bowl titles during his time there, first in 1982 and then again in 1987 and 1991. He played in 215 career games, which is the second most in Washington franchise history, behind only Darrell Green. He was inducted into the team’s Ring of Fame in 2015.
Coleman played at the University of Central Arkansas and was the first player from that NAIA program to be selected in the NFL Draft. He also set a school record at the time with 22 interceptions during his time there.
Coleman then returned to Arkansas after his playing career ended and joined the coaching staff at Arkansas Pine Bluff. He was promoted to head coach before the 2008 season and ended up posting a 40-71 overall record while leading the Golden Lions to the SWAC title in 2012. He parted ways with the university in 2017 after his contract expired.
“Coach Coleman embodied everything we strive for at UAPB: excellence, integrity and a relentless commitment to developing our student-athletes,” UAPB athletic director Chris Robinson said in a statement. “His legacy is not only written in championships and honors, but also in the lives he changed every day.”