Tom Bass, who coached on winning football teams with San Diego State and the Chargers and taught football not only to his players but women fans of the NFL and Europeans new to the sport, died Saturday at his Encinitas home. He was 83.
Bass took up coaching after polio ended his playing career at San Jose State, where he was a defensive lineman. He was a Chargers defensive coach in the 1960s and 1980s.
“He loved football, loved to teach,” said Hank Bauer, who was a Chargers player and coach alongside Bass in the 1980s. “All the good ones have communication skills, and he had those abilities.