Frank Gansz Jr. Obituary, KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Frank Gansz Jr., a respected and widely traveled special teams coach whose career spanned the NFL, college football and spring leagues, died on August 18, 2026. He was 64. His passing was noted across multiple football organizations he served, reflecting the respect he earned throughout more than three decades in coaching.
Gansz Jr. was the son of longtime NFL coach Frank Gansz, who died in 2009. Following his father into coaching, Gansz Jr. developed a career centered largely on special teams, working at several levels of professional and college football and becoming known for his technical knowledge, player development and steady approach to the profession.
His NFL career included several prominent coaching positions. Gansz Jr. served as special teams coach for the Oakland Raiders during the 1998 and 1999 seasons before joining the Kansas City Chiefs, where he held the same position from 2001 through 2005. He later served as special teams coordinator for the Baltimore Ravens during the 2006 and 2007 seasons.
Gansz Jr. also made contributions to college football. He served as an assistant special teams coach at UCLA during the 2008 and 2009 seasons. Earlier in his career, he worked as a graduate assistant at the University of Pittsburgh during the 1988 season, representing one of his early steps into the coaching profession.
His coaching career eventually extended beyond the NFL and traditional college football. Gansz Jr. coached with the New York/New Jersey Knights of the World League of American Football as a special teams coach and later worked with the Tampa Bay Bandits of the USFL as a tight ends and special teams coach. He also served as special teams coach of the St. Louis Battlehawks during the 2026 XFL season.
Across the different leagues and organizations where he worked, Gansz Jr. was recognized for his detailed approach to special teams and his commitment to helping players develop. His career also allowed him to work alongside and mentor other coaches, including Chad O’Shea, who served under him with the Chiefs and at UCLA.
Gansz Jr.’s coaching legacy is reflected in the breadth of his career and the many players and coaches he influenced across nearly three decades. Rather than being defined solely by one team or league, his professional life was marked by a continued commitment to football and to the specialized craft of coaching special teams.
His death on August 18, 2026, marks the loss of a coach whose career touched the NFL, college football and emerging professional leagues. He is remembered for his experience, professionalism and dedication to the game. Condolences go to Frank Gansz Jr.’s family, friends, former players and coaching colleagues as they mourn his passing and remember his contribution to football.
