Ten years after he came to Detroit to help fix the NFL's worst defense, former Lions assistant Gunther Cunningham has passed away.
Cunningham died over the weekend at the age of 72 after a bout with cancer.
Born in Munich, Germany, after World War II, Cunningham was a beloved figure in the NFL, a fiery yet fatherly presence who worked with the likes of Al Davis, Marty Schottenheimer and Frank Broyles.
Cunningham served as Lions defensive coordinator under Jim Schwartz from 2009-13 and as a senior coaching assistant for three seasons under Jim Caldwell after that.