Turk Schonert obit

Ex-Bengals QB Turk Schonert dies at 62

 

He was not on the list.

Former Bengals quarterback Turk Schonert has died, the team announced Thursday.

The 62-year-old died of a heart attack.

Schonert played with the Cincinnati Bengals from 1981 to 1985 and from 1987 to 1989. He was on the team for both super bowl seasons (Super Bowl XVI, XXIII).

Schonert had just turned 62 two days ago.

Former Quarterback Ken Anderson told FOX19 NOW that Turk was a great friend and teammate.

Schonert was a two-time All-American quarterback at Servite High School in Anaheim, California. He also played in the 1968 Little League World Series as a shortstop and third baseman for the Garden Grove, California team that finished in third place.

As a senior quarterback at Stanford University, Schonert followed Guy Benjamin and Steve Dils, who each won the Sammy Baugh Trophy given to college football's top passer, and was backed up by freshman John Elway. Schonert finished as the school's third consecutive NCAA passing champion and set a team record for completion percentage. The season highlight came when Schoenert led Stanford back from a 21-0 halftime deficit to tie top ranked USC, 21-21, ultimately costing the Trojans the national title.

Schonert was selected by the Chicago Bears in the ninth round of the 1980 NFL Draft but never played for the franchise. He played nine seasons with the Cincinnati Bengals, including the Super Bowl XVI and Super Bowl XXIII teams, and in between his stints with the Bengals, spent one season with the Atlanta Falcons. Schonert retired in 1989, finishing his career with 11 touchdowns, 20 interceptions and a 7-5 record as a starting quarterback.

Schonert began coaching quarterbacks in 1992 with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers under Sam Wyche, his former head coach with the Bengals. His quarterback coach at Stanford, Jim Fassel, later became the head coach of the New York Giants and hired Schonert, who also served with the Buffalo Bills, Carolina Panthers and New Orleans Saints.

Schonert, who returned to the Bills in 2006 and was promoted to offensive coordinator in 2008, had worked with Trent Edwards, a graduate of his alma mater, since Buffalo drafted the Stanford quarterback in 2007. Schonert was fired as the offensive coordinator for the Bills on September 4, 2009, just before the start of the season and replaced with Alex Van Pelt.

Schonert was hired as quarterbacks coach for the UFL's Hartford Colonials by head coach Jerry Glanville in 2011, but was let go with the rest of the coaching staff when the franchise ceased operation prior to the 2011 season. He was then hired by Fassel as an offensive assistant for the UFL's Las Vegas Locomotives.

Prior to working in the CFL, Schonert had been the head coach for the Sacramento Mountain Lions, whose previous head coach, Dennis Green, was involved in a contract dispute with the team.

Schonert's duties as offensive consultant in Montreal included helping Alouettes QB Troy Smith, who struggled with accuracy and production early in the 2014 season. He was subsequently promoted to receivers coach in August 2014.

Career history

As a player:

 

    Chicago Bears (1980)*

    Cincinnati Bengals (1981–1985)

    Atlanta Falcons (1986)

    Cincinnati Bengals (1987–1989)

 

 * Offseason and/or practice squad member only

As a coach:

 

    Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1992–1995)

    (Quarterbacks coach)

    Buffalo Bills (1998–2000)

    (Quarterbacks coach)

    Carolina Panthers (2001)

    (Quarterbacks coach)

    New York Giants (2003)

    (Quarterbacks coach)

    New Orleans Saints (2005)

    (Quarterbacks coach)

    Buffalo Bills (2006–2007)

    (Quarterbacks coach)

    Buffalo Bills (2008)

    (Offensive coordinator)

    Hartford Colonials (2011)

    (Quarterbacks coach)*

    Las Vegas Locomotives (2011)

    (Offensive assistant)

    Sacramento Mountain Lions (2012)

    (Head coach)

    Montreal Alouettes (2014–2018)

    (Receivers coach)