Clyde Emrich, pioneering NFL strength coach, dies at 90

LAKE FOREST, Ill. (AP) — Clyde Emrich, an Olympic weightlifter who became the NFL’s first strength and conditioning coach when the Chicago Bears hired him, has died. He was 90. The Bears announced his death on Wednesday. They did not give a cause. Emrich had been working with several Bears players such as Stan Jones, Doug Atkins and Ronnie Bull at a local YMCA when the Bears hired him in 1971. His initial contact with the team came prior to the 1963 championship season, when he met with founder and coach George Halas to discuss isometric resistance training. Emrich competed for the United States in the 1952 Olympics in Helsinki during a 21-year career. He is a USA Weightlifting Hall of Famer.