Former San Diego football coach contests university's claim he retired after 10 years: 'I was shown the door'

The University of San Diego announced earlier this week that football caput coach Dale Lindsey, the winningest coach successful programme history, would beryllium retiring aft 10 seasons pinch nan Toreros. 

But nan 80-year-old coach refuted that declare connected Wednesday, telling nan San Diego Union-Tribune that he was "shown nan door." 

Dale Lindsey poses for his 2006 NFL headshot. (Getty Images)

Associate Vice President and Executive Director of Athletics Bill McGillis made nan announcement Tuesday, calling Lindsey "one of nan top caput coaches" successful San Diego history and "one of nan elite caput coaches successful college football."

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"Coach Lindsey is leaving an unthinkable bequest astatine nan University of San Diego. Beyond nan bonzer level of title occurrence our programme has achieved nether his leadership, Coach Lindsey established a modular of excellence for nan young men successful our program, and nan lessons they've learned from him will past a lifetime. The numbers speak for themselves, but they don't moreover statesman to show nan communicative of nan effect he's made astatine USD," McGillis said. 

"His accent connected — and committedness to — nan worth of a assemblage acquisition has been nan existent hallmark of his activity from time one. He will discontinue from USD arsenic 1 of nan top caput coaches successful our university's history and 1 of nan elite caput coaches successful assemblage football. Tremendous man. Tremendous coach. Tremendous leader. Coach Lindsey led our programme pinch awesome integrity, and he has built a exemplary programme successful each consciousness of nan word. His beingness and activity person been a gift to our scholar-athletes, alumni, coaches and community. We person been blessed."

But Lindsey painted a different image of his exit, telling nan Union-Tribune that he "did not [expletive] retire."

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"I was shown nan doorway and would for illustration to coach. That’s my story, and I’m sticking to it," he asserted.

"I wasn’t readying connected retiring," Lindsey continued. "I cognize chronologically really aged I am. But I don’t usability for illustration an 80-year-old man. If you conscionable beryllium astatine home, you go a rootlike — and vegetables dice sooner aliases later. I’ve seen excessively galore coaches activity their ass disconnected for 40 years, deliberation they’re going to spell disconnected to immoderate aureate parachute retirement.

"Then they’re dormant successful six months. I don’t want to beryllium 1 [of those], nor do I intend to beryllium one."

Washington linebacker LaVar Arrington talks pinch linebackers coach Dale Lindsey during training campy successful Ashburn, Virginia, connected Aug. 4, 2004. (Jamie Squire/Getty Images)

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Lindsey vanished his decadelong profession astatine San Diego pinch an 80-30 record, which included 7 PFL Championships and 5 FCS Playoff appearances. He was besides a three-time PFL Coach of nan Year.

McGillis many times declined to reply nan outlet's mobility astir Lindsey’s declare that he was fired. The seasoned coach said he was ne'er offered an explanation. 

"I didn’t get a reason. I’ve been fired before. You ne'er get a reason. I can’t show you immoderate much than I was told, 'You nary longer activity here. Goodbye,'" Lindsey said.

Lindsey played successful nan NFL aft getting drafted by nan Cleveland Browns successful 1965. After 8 seasons, he would spell connected to play 1 much play pinch nan New Orleans Saints.

After his playing career, Lindsey was a coach for respective different NFL teams, including nan Green Bay Packers, New England Patriots, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Washington Redskins, Chicago Bears and San Diego Chargers.