Dan Reeves died early Saturday at his home in Georgia, Atlanta, after a long illness, at the age of 77

Dan Reeves died early Saturday at his home in Georgia, Atlanta, after a long illness, at the age of 77

Dan Reeves died early Saturday at his home in Georgia, Atlanta, after a long illness.

According to a statement provided by the Reeves family to the NFL Network, Reeves passed away peacefully, surrounded by his loving family, and his legacy will continue through his many friends, players, and fans as well as the rest of the NFL community.

Reeves was born on January 19, 1944. In Georgia, 70 miles northwest of Atlanta.

During his student years at the University of South Carolina, Reeves played football and baseball, then in 1967 he was inducted into the Hall of Fame.

Reeves has served as a player and coach, having coached several teams, including the Denver Broncos, New York Giants and Atlanta Falcons.

Arthur Blank, owner of the Atlanta Falcons, released a statement saying, “Dan Reeves left a lasting legacy in our game, both as player and coach.” He added, “Reeves' track record of success in Dallas, Denver, New York and Atlanta over several decades speaks for itself".