NYTimes | Saying that he has cancer and wants to focus on his family and his treatment, the head coach of the University of Missouri
football team, Gary Pinkel, announced his resignation Friday. The move
shocked the college football world after racial protests had put it in
the national spotlight and Pinkel had backed his players’ threat to
boycott a game.
“I
still feel good physically, but I decided that I want to focus on
enjoying my remaining years with my family and friends, and also have
proper time to battle the disease and give full attention to that,”
Pinkel said, revealing that he had found out several months ago that he
has non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and that he had decided late last month that
this would be his final season coaching.
Afterward, on Twitter, he wrote: “Family and health first. Thx for thinking of me.”
Pinkel, 63, will stay on until Dec. 31, or until the university hires a replacement. The Tigers play Brigham Young on Saturday.
