14 Facts About Chuck Fairbanks

Charles Leo Fairbanks was an American football coach who was a head coach at the high school, college and professional levels.

Chuck Fairbanks had nearly left for another assistant position at Missouri under Dan Devine, but decided to stay in Norman when Mackenzie moved him to offensive coordinator after the 1966 season.

On January 26,1973, Chuck Fairbanks was named head coach of the New England Patriots of the National Football League.

Chuck Fairbanks then had a falling-out with quarterback Jim Plunkett, who was traded for important draft picks to San Francisco, and suffered when hardball negotiating tactics by Patriot ownership led to a team-wide player strike that cancelled a preseason game with the New York Jets.

Fairbanks had worked out a contract extension with Stingley before the game, but the following Monday Chuck Sullivan reneged on the deal.

Chuck Fairbanks was livid and resolved to leave the team after the season.

Hours prior to the final regular season game, Sullivan suspended Chuck Fairbanks for breaking his contract by agreeing to become head coach for the University of Colorado.

Chuck Fairbanks's time at CU was a tumultuous period for the football and athletic program, headed by former head coach Eddie Crowder.

Chuck Fairbanks has been routinely and incorrectly credited for the unpopular color switch from black to sky blue jerseys in 1981, his final season in Boulder.

Chuck Fairbanks resigned from CU on June 1,1982, to become president and head coach of the New Jersey Generals of the fledgling United States Football League.

Chuck Fairbanks's departure from the Generals was a result of Donald Trump's purchase of complete control of the franchise from Fairbanks and majority owner J Walter Duncan on September 22,1983, and was succeeded at head coach by Walt Michaels.

The innovative but scandal-marred Chuck Fairbanks never coached again, either collegiately or professionally; he moved on to real estate and golf course development, creating PGA West and launching many other successful California and Arizona ventures.

Chuck Fairbanks' schemes have influenced the New England Patriots.

Chuck Fairbanks died at age 79 from brain cancer on April 2,2013.