Christiansen, Former Head Coach, Dies
Jack Christiansen, a Hall of Fame football player with the Detroit Lions, and former head coach at Stanford and the San Francisco 49ers, died Sunday at Stanford Medical Center after undergoing surgery for cancer. He was 57.
A member of the defensive backfield nicknamed “Chris’s Crew,” he was on Detroit’s world championship teams in 1952, 1953 and 1957. He entered the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1970.
A five-time Pro Bowl player, he had 46 interceptions and scored 13 touchdowns, eight of them on punt returns. He was named All-Pro six times.
After retiring in 1958, Christiansen became an assistant coach for the 49ers. He was promoted to head coach in 1963, a position he kept until 1967 when he left the team for a coaching job at Stanford.
After undergoing surgery, Christiansen never regained consciousness. A memorial service is scheduled for Wednesday at the Stanford Golf Club.
He is survived by his wife, Doris, four daughters and two grandchildren.
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