Clyde Emrich, who became the NFL’s first strength and conditioning coach in 1971 and spent the rest of his life working for the Bears, died Wednesday at age 90.
“He was a wonderful mentor to me and many others and was well-respected by everyone in the Bears family as well as around the league,” Bears vice president Brian McCaskey, who worked for him for almost 40 years, said in a statement.
“One of the things that makes Clyde’s story so unique is that he was self-taught.
Before joining the team, he had an impressive 21-year-long weightlifting career.