Former Alabama Crimson Tide football player and coach, Steve Sloan, has sadly passed away at the age of 79. Sloan, who won two national championships as a player in the 1960s, died on Sunday in Orlando, Florida, with his wife Brenda by his side. He had been in memory care for the past three months.

Sloan's football career began as a quarterback for the legendary coach Paul "Bear" Bryant's Alabama teams. As a sophomore, he served as Joe Namath's backup before leading the Crimson Tide to victory in the Sugar Bowl and the national title in 1964. The following year, Sloan, an esteemed All-American, guided Alabama to another national championship in a thrilling 39-28 win over Nebraska in the Orange Bowl.

After college, Sloan played in the NFL for the Atlanta Falcons, appearing in eight games over two seasons. He then returned to coaching, starting as an offensive coordinator at Florida State and Georgia Tech, before landing the head coaching position at Vanderbilt at the young age of 27 in 1973. Sloan also coached at Texas Tech, Ole Miss, and Duke throughout his career, accumulating a record of 68-86-3 with three bowl-game appearances.

Sloan's name will forever be associated with a pivotal moment in Alabama football history. It is widely known that he was Bryant's preferred choice to succeed him as head coach of the Crimson Tide. Unfortunately, Sloan had already accepted the coaching job at Ole Miss before Bryant's retirement announcement, leading to Ray Perkins ultimately being named head coach.

In 1987, Sloan returned to Alabama as the athletics director. During his two-year tenure, he oversaw the expansion of Bryant-Denny Stadium, adding an east side upper deck with a new press box, increasing the capacity to 70,123.

Following his time at Alabama, Sloan held athletic director positions at North Texas, Central Florida, and the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. In Orlando, he played an integral role in leading the UCF program to Division I status.

Aside from his achievements on the football field, Sloan was also a devout Christian. As a student at Alabama, he was a founding member of the school's Fellowship of Christian Athletes and participated in a scripture reading at Denny Stadium when renowned evangelist Billy Graham preached there in 1965. Sloan went on to publish two books, "Calling Life's Signals" in 1966 and "A Whole New Ballgame" in 1975, which focused on his faith and its impact on his football career.

Following their retirement, Steve and Brenda Sloan settled in Orlando in 2006, where they enjoyed their later years together.

The passing of Steve Sloan has left a void in the Alabama football community, as the former player and coach will be remembered for his pivotal role in the team's championship wins and his contributions to the sport as a whole. Our thoughts and condolences go out to his family and loved ones during this difficult time.