Former American football player and coach Mike White passed away at the age of 89, leaving behind his children, whom he shared with his wife, Marilyn.
While not much detail about his wife is publicly known, as Mike White generally kept a low profile, it is known that he and Marilyn had three children together.
After retiring from coaching, Mike White and his wife were actively involved in community work, including projects with the Cal Alumni Association.
Later, following his retirement from NFL coaching in 2005, Mike White managed Camp Blue at the Lair alongside his wife, Marilyn.
Among the three children Mike White shared with his wife, Marilyn, Chris White played for the University of Illinois football team.
Chris served as the team’s kicker in the mid-1980s and even kicked a game-winning field goal against Ohio State in 1985 while being coached by his father.
While Family Remains Out of the Spotlight, Sports Community Mourns the Loss of Coach Mike White!
Mike White has always preferred to keep his personal life quite private, so following his death, his family, including his wife and children, also seemed to maintain their privacy.
White passed away peacefully on ,on Sunday 14th December 2025 at the age of 89.
While Mike coached for several teams, including the University of California and the Oakland Raiders, it was his time with Illinois that left a lasting impact.
Mike coached Illinois from 1980 to 1987, finishing with a 47–41–3 record.
Under Gary Moeller, Illinois never finished higher than 8th in the conference. Mike White came in and changed that in 2 seasons.
— Illini Ministry of Propaganda (@810illini) December 15, 2025
He led the 1983 Illini to a 10-2 record, a B1G Championship and a Rose Bowl appearance.
Rest in peace, Coach White. https://t.co/inGAUNpI1V pic.twitter.com/R6oQlremjk
He led the team to three bowl games, including the 1984 Rose Bowl after winning the Big Ten title in 1983, the only Illinois team to defeat every other Big Ten school in one season.
Having left a lasting impact on the Illinois community, many have expressed their sorrow after his passing. One user from Illinois on Facebook wrote;
Sad to hear this news…..he was a great coach but also a great neighbor. During his years as coach he really brought out the Illini Spirit in Devonshire. Everyone put out their Illini flags on Football Saturdays. I still remember him out for his morning jog when they returned from the Rose Bowl and how tough that loss was on him. RIP Coach.
Now that Mike White has left the world, leaving a lasting legacy in the football community, especially in Illinois, his family and the community seem to continue his journey.
In Case You Don’t Know
- White is a board member for the Lott IMPACT Trophy, which is named after Ronnie Lott.
- During his college coaching career, White was twice named National Coach of the Year, first in 1975 at California.
