(ADDING INFORMATION, QUOTES) 

*Hall of Fame coach Weeb Ewbank dead at 91*
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OXFORD, Ohio (Ticker) -- Weeb Ewbank, the winning coach in the
two most pivotal games in the history of the National Football
League, died peacefully of natural causes this afternoon at his
home.  He was 91. 

Ewbank's grandson, Tom Spenceley, said Ewbank had not been sick.
Spenceley said the legendary coach, who was hospitalized last
year with heart problems, was found dead in his bed around 5:00
p.m. EDT. 

Ewbank, who was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in
1978, guided the Baltimore Colts to the NFL title in 1958 and
1959.  The Colts' sudden-death victory over the New York Giants
in 1958 NFL Championship is considered the contest that ushered
the sport into mainstream America. 

Ewbank then captured the American Football League championship
with the New York Jets in 1968.  Heavy underdogs against the
star-laden NFL champion Colts, Ewbank guided the Jets to a 16-7
upset that gave the upstart league credibility and led to a
merger between the leagues one season later. 

"He wasn't really given the credit he deserved for that
victory," said former coach Hank Stram, a contemporary of
Ewbank's.  "His team winning that game was a great boost for our
league.  He always found a way to get it done.  That game helped
convince people that the AFL was for real." 

When he retired following the 1973 season with a 130-129-1 mark,
Ewbank was the fourth-winningest coach in pro football history. 
He coached the Colts from 1954-1962.  He joined the Titans on
April 15th, 1963, the same day the team changed its name to the
Jets. 

"I greatly admired Weeb," longtime Jets owner Leon Hess said.
"He clearly was a man who knew everything there was to know
about football organization and player motivation, which
resulted in his becoming the only coach to win championships in
two different leagues." 

Ewbank is survived by his wife, Lucy, and three daughters. 

Ewbank's legacy will be the development of two of the greatest
quarterbacks ever -- Johnny Unitas and Joe Namath.  While one
was quietly confident, the other was obnoxious and brash. Ewbank
was able to win with both. 

He also had a trio of Hall of Fame coaches -- Chuck Noll, Bud
Grant and Don Shula -- under his tutelage as assistants.  Noll
and Grant were known as taskmasters, while Shula let his players
play en route to becoming the winningest coach in NFL history.
The trio also combined for 14 Super Bowl appearances. 

Ewbank honed his craft as a line coach under the legendary Paul
Brown in the early 1950s.  He took over in Baltimore in 1954 and
within six years produced two NFL titles, including the 1958
title game, which the Colts won 23-17 in overtime.  That classic
later was tagged "The Greatest Game Ever Played." 

He would add another title in 1959 and was credited with the
development of Hall of Famers Unitas, Raymond Berry, Lenny
Moore, Gino Marchetti, Art Donovan and Jim Parker. 

When Ewbank took over the Jets in 1963, they went 5-8-1 in each
of his first three seasons.  A 6-6-2 season followed in 1966 and
the 1967 resulted in an 8-5-1 mark.  The 1968 campaign began
with the Jets winning three of the first five games.  But New
York closed the regular season with wins in eight of its final
nine games. 

After edging the Oakland Raiders in the AFL Championship, the
Jets were 17 1/2-point underdogs to Earl Morrall, Unitas and
Shula in the Super Bowl.  But Ewbank designed a balanced
offensive attack and prepared a defensive scheme that frustrated
the Colts' vaunted attack. 

He was 10-4 in 1969 but as injuries began to take their toll on
Namath, the Jets struggled, falling to 4-10 in 1970.  He would
go 6-8 in 1971, 7-7 in 1972 and 4-10 in 1973, never again
reaching the playoffs. 

Ewbank was a three-sport athlete at Miami of Ohio and spent 14
seasons as an assistant coach at his alma mater. 

"Weeb was a very humane and caring individual," Miami president
Dr. James Garland. "He remained close to the University up until
today.  I know he led a long and full life and yet, I am deeply
saddened by his passing.  I would like to express my most
sincere condolences to his wife Lucy and to his many friends."