Lou Holtz, a Former New York Jets Head Coach, to Receive Presidential Medal of Freedom

Lou Holtz is so closely synonymous with college football that it is easy to forget that he at one time was head coach of the New York Jets. And now Holtz, who was head coach of the Jets for just a single season, will become a Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient.

President Donald Trump announced on Friday that Holtz, a legendary head coach at Notre Dame and most recently at South Carolina, will receive the highest honor given to a civilian in the United States. He said that a number of high profile coaches including Alabama head coach Nick Saban and LSU head coach Ed Orgeron wrote letters on Holtz’s behalf.

“Not only coaches though — people in sports and people in life and even great political people, recommending Lou for the Presidential Medal of Freedom. And we’ve analyzed it very closely. We’ve looked at all of those recommendations. We’ve looked at Lou’s life and his career and what he’s done for charity. And the football is obvious — he was a great coach — but what he’s done, beyond even coaching,” President Trump said on Friday from the White House.

“So Lou will be getting the Presidential Medal of Freedom. And a date is being picked; it won’t be in the too-distant future. Lou was married to a great woman. Right, Lou? A great woman. And she just passed away a few months ago. This is an incredible woman. She was stronger — I knew her; I knew her well — she was stronger than Lou. I think she was stronger than you, Lou, I hate to tell you. You’re strong, too. But she was special, right?”

Holtz coached the Jets for a single season in 1976, the only time he spent as head coach of a professional team. The Jets were 3-10 that season and he resigned before the final game of the season.

He then returned to the college football ranks and took over Arkansas and eventually Minnesota. In his contract with the Big Ten program he had an out clause that would allow him to leave for one program and one program only: Notre Dame.

With the Fighting Irish, he was 100-30-2. His team won five of their nine bowl games (back when making the postseason meant something) including the national championship in 1988.

Holtz then took over South Carolina in 1999, turning around the program and turning a once doormat of the SEC into a program that twice finished the season ranked in the polls.

The Presidential Medal of Freedom, established in 1963 by President John F. Kennedy, is given to individuals “who have made exceptional contributions to the security or national interests of America, to world peace, or to cultural or other significant public or private endeavors.”

Recently, President Trump has given a number of former star athletes the medal including distance runner John Ryun, baseball closer Mariano Rivera, basketball stars Jerry West and Bob Cousy as well as golfer Tiger Woods and football star Alan Page.