Texas high school football icon Freddie James died Thursday morning, his family confirmed.
He was 89.
James was head coach at Carter High School in Dallas from 1982 to 1995 and turned the program into the most dominant in Texas.
James was a part of the inaugural Texas Black Sports Hall of Fame class in 1996 and was also inducted into the Dallas ISD Athletic Hall of Fame in 2018.
His 1988 team, despite controversies surrounding ineligible players, is immortalized by some as one of the greatest football teams in Texas high school history. James’ coaching led him to win eight Dallas ISD Coach of the Year awards during his tenure at Carter.
“He let me know that it’s not about the wins and losses; it’s about the legacy of people you impact along the way,” current Carter High School head coach Spencer Gilbert told NBC 5 in Dallas.
During his 14-year coaching career, James compiled a 139-27-5 record. He helped eight players get to the NFL, including All-Pro linebacker Jessie Armstead, who also played on the infamous 1988 roster, and the late Chet Brooks, a two-time Super Bowl champion with the 49ers.
James graduated from Booker T. Washington High School in Dallas before playing for Prairie View A&M’s 1958 national championship team at both running back and defensive back.
He began his coaching career in 1964 at Spigner Colored School in Calvert, Texas. The coach then took over Carter in 1982.
Even after his death, James’s legacy lived on through various media selections, including films such as “Friday Night Lights” (2004) and “Carter High” (2015). “Friday Night Lights” became a cult classic among football movies.
