FRISCO, Texas – Wade Wilson, the former Cowboys quarterback and longtime assistant coach, passed away Friday at his home in Coppell, Texas. He was 60.
The Cowboys announced Wilson's passing Friday afternoon.
A former eighth-round draft pick by the Minnesota Vikings, Wilson had a productive 19-year playing career (1981-99) on five NFL teams, including the Cowboys as a backup to Hall of Famer Troy Aikman for three seasons. Wilson was a member of the club's Super Bowl XXX championship team.
Well-liked by his peers and players, Wilson was known as an excellent teacher of the quarterback position.
After his retirement as a player, the Texas native embarked on an 18-year NFL coaching career, first as the Cowboys' quarterbacks coach from 2000-02 and again in the same role from 2007-17, where he oversaw much of Tony Romo's playing career and helped Dak Prescott transition to the league as a young starter. In between, he coached the Chicago Bears' quarterbacks from 2004-06.
Many current and former Cowboys expressed their condolences on social media after learning of Wilson's passing. Aikman tweeted, "Sad news today as we lost a teammate far too soon."
Hall of Famer Emmitt Smith, also a teammate of Wilson's in the 1990s, tweeted, "I am completely saddened by the loss of my former teammate, Wade Wilson... my thoughts, prayers and heart go to him and his family during this time."
