Vikings offensive line coach Sparano dies unexpectedly at 56

MIAMI — Tony Sparano once beat Bill Belichick with the single wing, but wasn’t as old as that made him sound.

Sparano was only 56 when he died unexpectedly Sunday. The Minnesota Vikings announced his death in a statement that did not provide a cause. He had been the Vikings’ offensive line coach since 2016. The most memorable moment in Sparano’s 19-year NFL coaching career came in 2008, when he was a rookie head coach with the Miami Dolphins, inheriting a team that had gone 1-15 the previous season. In Week 3 he surprised Belichick with a single wing-style formation that the Dolphins called the wildcat, and they won at New England 38-13.

The wildcat became a fad around the league, and the stunning upset propelled Sparano’s team to 11 wins and the AFC East title. It’s one of two playoff berths for the franchise since 2002.

That was Sparano’s lone winning season, and he was fired in 2011 after going 29-32 in Miami. He was popular with his players, but a dismal home record, declining attendance and a falling-out with general manager Jeff Ireland accelerated his firing by owner Stephen Ross.

Sparano was the Oakland Raiders’ interim head coach in 2014 after the team fired Dennis Allen, and he went 3-9. He also worked as an assistant for the Browns, Redskins, Jaguars, Cowboys and 49ers, and most recently for Vikings coach Mike Zimmer.

AP FILE PHOTO Vikings offensive line coach Tony Sparano has died at the age of 56. The Vikings say he died early Sunday but did not give a cause of death. He had been the Vikings’ offensive line coach since 2016. Sparano began his NFL coaching career in 1999 and had...