Longtime Tennessee Titans radio analyst Dave “Coach Mac” McGinnis, who spent 30 years coaching in the NFL including parts of four seasons as the Arizona Cardinals head coach, died Monday after an illness that hospitalized him in March, the Titans announced.
In 2000, McGinnis became Arizona’s interim coach, succeeding Vince Tobin, and became the club’s full-time head coach through the 2003 season.
“We were deeply saddened to learn of Dave McGinnis’ passing and extend our heartfelt condolences to all who knew and loved him,” Cardinals owner Michael Bidwill said in a statement of McGinnis, who was 17-40 as a head coach for the team. “As Dave often said, he was a “ballcoach” through and through, and no one ever filled that that role with more passion, enthusiasm, and charisma. Coach Mac truly loved the game and everything — and everyone associated with it, especially his players. He was one of a kind and will be greatly missed.”
A former linebackers coach and defensive coordinator along with his stint as head coach for the Cardinals, McGinnis coached with the Chicago Bears (linebackers coach 1986-1995), Cardinals (DC from 1996-2000; HC from 2000-2003), Titans (linebackers coach 2004; linebackers/assistant head coach 2005-2011) and the St. Louis/Los Angeles Rams (assistant head coach 2012-2016).
McGinnis returned to Tennessee in 2017 for Titans Radio, serving as a gameday color analyst through the 2025 season.
“My heart aches with the loss of Coach Mac, who was so much more than a coach and broadcaster — he was family,” Titans controlling owner Amy Adams Strunk said in a statement. “Coach Mac gave so much of himself to this organization over the years, and his passion, loyalty, and love for the Titans never wavered. He cared deeply about the people around him, and that kindness and authenticity left a lasting impact on everyone who knew him. He held a very special place in our family, and his presence in our lives and within this franchise will never be forgotten. We will miss him dearly, and we will always be grateful for the legacy he leaves behind.”
“The Rams are saddened by the passing of former assistant head coach Dave McGinnis,” a Los Angeles team statement read. “Our sincere condolences are with his family and friends during this difficult time.”
Born Aug. 7, 1951, in Independence, Kansas, McGinnis began his coaching career at his alma mater Texas Christian in 1973. He moved on to stops at Missouri, Indiana State and Kansas State.
He got his initial NFL job with the Bears in 1986 under Mike Ditka and stayed on with Dave Wannstedt before moving on to the Cardinals as their defensive coordinator in 1996 under Tobin.
For a time, it appeared McGinnis would get his first break as a head coach back with the Bears.
In 1999, he interviewed for the vacant head coaching spot and it went well, but McGinnis later found out he was going to become the head coach through word of mouth that a news conference was being put together to announce his hiring. However, he’d never confirmed he would take the job as he was never formally offered it. Without any firm details for a contract or on staffing, McGinnis removed himself from consideration after he’d essentially been named the organization’s head coach without being offered.
McGinnis remained on staff with the Cardinals and eventually got his lone head coaching opportunity.
He moved on to the Titans, joining Jeff Fisher’s staff.
He’d team up with Fisher again on the Rams during their move from St. Louis to Los Angeles. Fisher’s final season with the Rams in 2016 was also McGinnis’.
“I told him, ‘Mac, I have a home for you here,” Fisher said, via the Titans’ team website. “We grew to be really close friends. My kids called him Uncle Mac growing up, and he became Mac-Daddy.”
Throughout his long career, McGinnis coached plenty of notable players. Among them were Hall of Famer Mike Singletary, Wilber Marshall and Otis Wilson with the Bears; Hall of Famers Aeneas Williams and Emmitt Smith, Simeon Rice and the great Pat Tillman with the Cardinals; along with many more.
“I found him to be a friend over the years, and what a great time, the timing of him coming to the Bears and being my coach,” Singletary said, via the Titans’ team site. “I needed somebody like him. I knew where I wanted to go, knew what I wanted to do and I needed somebody to guide me, somebody to help me and have a perspective about what was next for me, and how to be a professional about getting there. For me, Coach Mac was a godsend at that time, when he came.”
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