Edward Khayat

Edward M. (Eddie) Khayat passed away on Friday, December 6, 2024 in Nashville, TN at the age of 89. He was born on September 14, 1935 in Moss Point, MS.

An all-around athlete and eventual Mississippi Sportsman of the Year, Eddie lettered in football, basketball, and baseball and won the Mississippi Golden Gloves Heavyweight Championship during his time in college. After graduating from Tulane University where he was subsequently named to the All-time Tulane Football Team, Tulane Green Wave All-Century Team, and inducted into the Tulane Athletic Hall of Fame, he embarked on a career spanning thirty-five years in the NFL, ten as a player and twenty-five as a coach.

During his collegiate and professional playing days, he was also a member of the Mississippi National Guard, retiring as a First Lieutenant in the United States Army Reserve.

After his rookie season with the Washington Redskins, six of his ten years as a player were spent as a defensive lineman with the Philadelphia Eagles. The highlight of his career occurred on December 26, 1960 when, as a starting defensive tackle, the Eagles won the World Championship. His final season came in 1966 with the Boston Patriots.

As a member of the NFL Players Association since its inception, he was an ardent advocate for players’ rights and well-being. He served as the Vice-President of the Nashville Chapter of the NFLPA and two terms on the NFLPA Board of Directors as the liaison for retired players.

After his last season as a player, he continued in the NFL without interruption as a coach. He was the first defensive line coach for the expansion New Orleans Saints with future Hall of Famer Doug Atkins under his tutelage at defensive end. After returning to the Eagles as an assistant, he was named their interim head coach and served in that capacity for two seasons, one of only four former players who also became the team’s head coach. His coaching journey continued with the Atlanta Falcons where another future Hall of Famer, Claude Humphrey, was his defensive end. AFC East Champion Baltimore Colts, NFC Central Champion Detroit Lions, and the AFC Champion New England Patriots followed. After his last stop with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Eddie retired from coaching.

In the private sector, he was named the Central Development Director for Pennsylvania Special Olympics. This was a cause close to his heart. In 1988 he and teammate George Tarasovic founded a celebrity golf tournament in York, PA for the benefit of York County Special Olympics. A favorite among invited athletes, it continued successfully for thirty-one years. In 1996 he was the recipient of the Pennsylvania Chiefs of Police President’s Award.

The love of the game, however, called him back into coaching. In 1997 he was asked to be the head coach of the expansion Arena League Nashville Kats. In its first year the Kats set an expansion team record, won the Eastern division, and Eddie was named AFL Coach of the Year.

In addition to Tulane, Eddie was inducted into six other Halls of Fame including the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame and the Philadelphia Eagles Hall of Fame as a member of the 1960 Championship Team.

Predeceased by his parents, Edward and Eva Khayat and sister Edna Khayat Boone, he is survived by his wife, Deborah; sons, Ed and Bill (Jenny); grandchildren, Sydney and Gage; brother, Robert C. Khayat; and sister, Kathy Khayat Murray.

He will be forever remembered and honored as the best example of a husband, father, brother, coach, teammate, and friend.

The family wishes to acknowledge the care and support that was given to Eddie by the staff at The Place at the Trace where he spent the last year and a half of his life.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to York County Special Olympics.

A Celebration of Life will be announced at a later date.