FORT BEND COUNTY, Texas (KTRK) — Allen Aldridge, who became a high-round NFL draft pick out of the University of Houston and later the head coach of Fort Bend ISD’s George Bush High School football program, has died, the district announced Monday.
Aldridge was 52 years old.
His alma mater, the University of Houston, also announced his passing and paid tribute to the eight-year NFL pro.
“Houston Football mourns the loss of decorated Cougar and former NFL standout Allen Aldridge. Our thoughts are with his family, former teammates and the Fort Bend Bush High School community,” UH said.
While neither UH nor Fort Bend ISD disclosed Aldridge’s cause of death, the district celebrated his dedication to the young players he coached in his 20 years at Bush, even drawing upon his playing time at Willowridge High School and the NFL.
“He was known for his commitment to developing his players into young men who conducted themselves with integrity and pride, and he would sometimes show his Super Bowl ring to students to demonstrate that nothing was impossible,” the district said, referring to his time on the 1997 Denver Broncos’ championship team.
FBISD continued, “In his 20 years of service as a coach for the George Bush Broncos, Coach Aldridge had a positive impact on the lives of thousands of young men and women. He lived by the motto he learned as an FBISD student at Willowridge High School to exemplify Class and Character in all aspects of his life. His presence and influence as a servant leader, mentor and teacher were felt by all at George Bush High and his positivity was evident among players, coaches, and colleagues as he directed them to always ‘Coach ’em up!'”
Aldridge’s family did not go into detail about his cause of death but said he fell ill Sunday and subsequently passed away.
“He’s always watching, and I know he loves us just as much as we love him,” Yolonda Sneed, Aldridge’s cousin, said.
Yolonda Sneed added that Aldridge was the only boy out of their cousins.
As he advanced through his career, Yolonda Sneed and her sister Yolette Sneed often cheered from the stands.
“He was like a brother to us, so we traveled when he played in college. We participated in his high school football games, and we traveled when he went into the NFL,” Yolonda Sneed said.
Aldridge was billed as a 6-foot-1-inch, 254-pound linebacker when Denver drafted him in the second round in 1994. He started 45 games during his four-season stint with the Broncos.
Aldridge signed with the Detroit Lions and spent the 1998 through 2001 seasons in the Motor City. He started 59 games and developed as a long snapper on punt coverage.
The Houston Texans signed Aldridge before their 2002 inaugural season, but he didn’t see the field in the regular season and never played another NFL snap again.
“We were very proud of him,” Vivian Sneed, Aldridge’s aunt, said.
He transitioned to developing future athletic stars when he joined Bush HS in 2004. A player on the current Bush team sent Eyewitness News his tribute to his coach.
“He was such a passionate Coach that was full of knowledge on and off the field,” Bush HS player Cameron Hopes told ABC13 sports producer Joe Gleason. “A real father figure that would always try to mold us from boys to men. Words can’t express how supportive he was with us and the whole Bush community. It wasn’t any different when it came to his kids and family. (He) showed everyone the same respect and love. ‘Class & Character’ was his motto, and that’s what you had to have to be around Coach Aldridge.”
“I am sure they are going to take this pretty hard. He definitely poured into the school and the faculty and staff at the school, so it is going to be a tremendous loss for them,” Yolette Sneed, Aldridge’s cousin, said.
Funeral and memorial services were not immediately disclosed.
For updates on this story, follow Alex Bozarjian on Facebook, X and Instagram.
Copyright © 2024 KTRK-TV. All Rights Reserved.