Ex-49ers, Raiders coach passes away
NFL: Knapp dies of injuries sustained in bike crash.
Longtime NFL coach Greg Knapp has passed away from injuries sustained in a July 17 bike crash, when a car struck him near his Danville home. He was 58.
Knapp, according to sources, sustained serious brain trauma as well as other injuries. He had been in Walnut Creek’s John Muir Health Medical Center since the incident, and his death at 11:32 a.m. July 22 was confirmed by a hospital spokesman.
“Those of us who were so blessed to have known him, know that he would have wanted even this moment to be a teachable one,” read part of a statement from Knapp’s family. “So this is it: ‘Live every day as if it’s your last, and love those around you like it won’t last!’”
Knapp never regained consciousness after the accident along Dougherty Road, located near the San Ramon and Danville border, about 30 minutes east of Oakland. He is survived by his wife, Charlotte, and three daughters, Jordan, Natalie and Camille.
Danville police said they do not suspect drugs or alcohol to be a factor but said that the Contra Costa District Attorney’s Office will review the case after the investigation. They said the driver who hit Knapp is a 22-year-old Danville man. He has not been identified.
“We all miss Knapper and I believe he has touched us deeply,” said Jim Mora, a longtime friend and coaching colleague. “Greg loved to laugh, tease, live large
and loud, and love on his family and friends. He was a sincere man who we all loved, trusted and respected.”
Mora visited Knapp in the hospital this week and relayed updates to their close friends. Mora and Knapp coached together on the 49ers from 1997-03 under Steve Mariucci and then Dennis Erickson. Knapp served as offensive coordinator when Mora coached the Atlanta Falcons (2004-06) and Seattle Seahawks (2009).
A Seal Beach native and former Sacramento State quarterback, Knapp was a NFL assistant for 26 years, starting with the 49ers in 1995. He was hired this year as the New York Jets’ passing game specialist under new coach Robert Saleh and spent this offseason tutoring rookie quarterback Zach Wilson.
“Greg had such an inner peace about him that people always seemed to gravitate towards,” Saleh said in a statement through the Jets. “He lived life in a loving way that helped him connect with people from all walks of life in a unique way.”
Knapp coached with the 49ers (1995-2003) and the Raiders (2007-08, 2012) as part of a career in which he specialized in quarterbacks. He was Peyton Manning’s quarterback coach when the 2015 Denver Broncos won Super Bowl 50 at Levi’s Stadium — and Knapp wasn’t shy in letting friends try on his Super Bowl ring at parties.
“Greg’s infectious personality is most people’s first and lasting memory of him,” read his family’s statement. “The phrase “He never met a stranger” encapsulates Knapper’s zest for life. He had a unique gift to make everyone feel special, and to Knapper, they all were.
“While his family, friends, and players still had so much to learn from him and desperately wished they had more time with him, God called an audible and wanted to go over the game plan
directly with him. It will certainly be a masterpiece, just like Greg!”
He also coached with the Falcons (2004-06, 2018-20), the Seahawks (2009), the Houston Texans (2010-11), the Broncos (201316) and the Jets (2021). From 2001-09, he served as an offensive coordinator with the 49ers, Falcons, Raiders, and Seahawks, and he returned in that capacity on the 2012 Raiders.
When Knapp was out of the NFL in 2017, he continued to coach, doing so on the San Ramon Valley High junior varsity softball team that included his step-daughter Natalie.
He began his coaching career at Sacrament State from 198694, after playing there as a record-setting quarterback. He’d initially gone from Huntington Beach High to UC Santa Barbara before transferring and sparking the Hornets’ program.
“My career’s gone fast. I’ve been very fortunate,” Knapp told the Sacramento Bee in February 2016. “I’ve survived the ups and downs of this profession, and in each move, I’ve gained more. … Heck of a ride.”
During his time as a Sacramento State assistant, he made it to several NFL training camps as a player or coaching intern, including stops with Kansas City (1986), the L.A. Raiders (1987-90) and the 49ers (1992-94),
According to a statement from San Ramon police Lt. Tami Williams, officers responded to the area of Dougherty and North Monarch roads around 2:50 p.m. on July 17. The driver swerved into the bike lane when Knapp was struck, the coach’s agent, Jeff Sperbeck, told NBCNews.com.
Former colleagues throughout the NFL mourned Knapp’s death, while many tried to fondly recall his bellowing laugh, insightful instruction and obvious love for family and friends.
He not only coached players on his NFL teams, he mentored coaches and was a fixture running quarterback drills at the annual NFL scouting combine in Indianapolis.
“Knapper was pure class and a joy to be around every day,” former 49ers quarterback Rick Mirer tweeted. “I cherish my seasons with him and feel for his family. This is devastating news.”
As the Jets noted on his bio, Knapp coached a handful of Pro Bowl quarterbacks: Manning (2013-14), Steve Young (1998), Jeff Garcia (2000-02) and Michael Vick (2004-05).
Knapp was surrounded by his mother, wife, daughters and brother as he passed away July 22. Memorial services are pending and the family asks that friends post photos, memories and notes at www.caringbridge.org.