Gary Gaines, Coach Made Famous by 'Friday Night Lights,' Dies at 73

Gary Gaines, the coach who led the Texas high school football team made famous by the bestselling book and film "Friday Night Lights" has died at 73. 

Gaines died Monday in Lubbock, Texas, after a long battle with Alzheimer's disease, his family confirmed in a statement to the Associated Press.

Gaines, whose career spanned three decades, is most known for leading Odessa Permian to a state championship in 1989. Gaines' 1988 team at Permian became the subject of Buzz Bissinger's "Friday Night Lights," a book that depicted racism, educational inequalities, and toxic masculinity.

While Gaines was portrayed as a compassionate coach and the book's hero, he later said he felt betrayed by Bissinger, who spent the entire season with Gaines and his team. The coach was also heavily featured in the film of the same title, in which Billy Bob Thornton played Gaines. 

Gaines spent four years with Permian, leading them to their fifth of the program's six state championships with a perfect season in 1989. He left to become an assistant coach at Texas Tech and then took over the reins at Abilene High and San Angelo Central before returning to college as the coach at Abilene Christian, which paid tribute to Gaines on social media.

"The ACU football community is deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Texas coaching legend Gary Gaines, who spent five years at the helm of the Wildcat program," the school tweeted. "We are sending our condolences to the Gaines family."

In 2009 Gaines returned to Permian for another four-year run as coach.

"I just can't find the words to pay respects," retired coach Ron King, a former Permian assistant, said, according to the Associated Press. "It's a big loss for the coaching profession. There are a lot of coaches he took under his wing and mentored."

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