According to AL.com , legendary Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback Steve Sloan passed away Sunday.
Fans took to social media to express their condolences for the two-time national championship-winning quarterback. Sloan was in memory care at the Orlando Health Phillips Hospital for three months before he passed away. Sloan was also a coach and an administrator after his playing career.
Of the many teams that Steve Sloan had a connection to, the connection to the Alabama Crimson Tide may have been the greatest. He backed up Joe Namath under legendary head coach Paul “Bear Bryant” before taking over the quarterback position and leading the Crimson Tide to another National Championship.
Sloan finished 10th in Heisman voting, won the Sammy Baugh Award for the nation’s best passer, was a consensus All-American and the SEC player of the year in 1965 when he finally got to run the offense. He had just under 1,500 yards passing, 10 passing touchdowns and just three interceptions. This play got him drafted by the Atlanta Falcons where he sustained a short NFL career.
Former #Alabama QB Steve Sloan passed away Sunday. He was 79.https://t.co/FRO8gJLMgY pic.twitter.com/ovCZLxWpYU
— BamaOnLine (@BOL_On3) April 15, 2024
Sloan then spent the first few years of his coaching career as an assistant at Alabama. He was an assistant from 1968 to 1970 before getting the offensive coordinator job with the Florida State Seminoles.
After being a coach for nearly two decades, Sloan moved on to being an administrator. He was an Athletic Director for the Alabama Crimson Tide from 1987 to 1989. These three separate stints with Alabama are why many of the fans sharing condolences on social media are Crimson Tide faithful.
Student-Athlete
Coach
Athletics Director
LegendAlabama mourns the passing of All-American Steve Sloan and sends its thoughts and prayers to his family and friends. pic.twitter.com/Yxn3CjP1MW
— Alabama Football (@AlabamaFTBL) April 15, 2024
God Bless Steve Sloan, Family and Friends at this time of grieving. Thanks for all you did for our U of Alabama. You will never be forgotten, but greatly missed. May you always RIP our BAMA Warrior. RTR #1
— Michael Neumann (@Michael4RAMS) April 15, 2024
@coachmarkf he may have been a little bit before your time, but Coach Sloan was a pioneer in advancing football, especially in the SEC holding both coaching and administrative roles – RIP Job well done
— TheTownCrier (@auburn1159) April 15, 2024
While one of the largest impacts he had was on the Alabama Crimson Tide, that wasn’t the only fan base on which Sloan left an impact.
His first head coaching gig was with the Vanderbilt Commodores, whom he came back to as an offensive coordinator in 1990. He then went on to serve as the head coach for the Texas Tech Red Raiders, Ole Miss Rebels and Duke Blue Devils.
His coaching career was relatively unsuccessful, but his best stint was with Texas Tech. With the Red Raiders, he had his only 10-win season and his only conference championship (Southwestern Conference). He also won SWC Coach of the Year in that same season (1976). As a result, many Texas Tech fans also took to social media to mourn the passing of Sloan.
We are saddened to learn of the passing of former head coach Steve Sloan, who passed away Sunday at the age of 79. pic.twitter.com/kgdSSahpNJ
— Texas Tech Football (@TexasTechFB) April 15, 2024
Fond memories of Coach Sloan, who had a way with words. One of his star RB’s was Rufus Thomas. Coach said he really liked Rufus because he was ambidextrous—he could run with either foot.
— IbaTexan (@samramtx) April 15, 2024
Praying for family and friends
— Tony Baker (@NMTXsports) April 16, 2024
In an article from ESPN, Sloan’s longtime friend Tommy Limbaugh explained the character of the Alabama Crimson Tide legend.
“You will never find anybody that says anything bad about Steve Sloan,” Limbaugh said. “You can’t find that person.”
Limbaugh also took to social media to share a picture of Sloan, further explaining the character of his longtime friend.
Lost my best friend of 61 years yesterday, Steve Sloan. He is pictured here with 3 All-American QB’ @AlabamaFTBL Snake Stabler on left, Steve on right, Joe Namath next to Steve an another longtime friend Tommy Ford. RIP. I loved my friend and he was a great man &Christian pic.twitter.com/7zHFI3FGxX
— Tommy Limbaugh (@tommylimbaugh) April 15, 2024
The sharing of this photo prompted many fans to share their condolences with Limbaugh.
So sorry to learn this. I know how much he meant to you, and you to him. One of the good guys. I enjoyed covering him, win or lose always cooperative, but had difficulty remaining objective because I wanted him to succeed. He touched so many, who are better for having known him.
— John Stamm (@stammtheman) April 16, 2024
I got the wonderful opportunity to see your inspiring brotherhood and friendship with Steve, when I worked for WHBQ TV in Memphis. You were both at Ole Miss, at the time.
God bless you, Tommy, and all others who had the blessed opportunity to be a true friend of Steve’s.— ByronDayFOX10 (@ByronDayFOX10) April 15, 2024
Sorry to hear – always remember him coming to our house to recruit my brother. Great man and coach.
— Fred F. Caldwell (@FredCaldwell) April 15, 2024
Sorry for your loss, Tommy. RIP
— Dick Kearns (@dickkearns) April 15, 2024
On top of being an athletic director for the Alabama Crimson Tide, Sloan also served as an AD for the UCF Golden Knights , the North Texas Mean Green and the Chattanooga Mocs. He was responsible for bringing UCF from Divison I-AA to Division I-A (now FBS).
Steve Sloan is survived by his wife Brenda and his son Stephen Sloan Jr.
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