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| Avezzano roams the sidelines for the Cowboys in 2002. (Getty Images) |
Joe Avezzano, the 68-year-old former Cowboys special teams coach, died of a heart attack in Italy on Thursday.
The news was first passed along by Richie Witt of 103.5 The Fan, who reported that Avezzano "had a heart attack on the treadmill and passed away."
According to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, the Cowboys have since confirmed the news.
"Joe Avezzano was a very special part of our Dallas Cowboys family and our organization’s history," Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said in a statement released by the team. "He was also a wonderful father, husband and friend. No one enjoyed life more than Joe, and no one that I know had a greater appreciation for the people that he loved and the lives that he touched. We grieve with Diann and Tony and the thousands of fans who loved Coach Joe.
"He was an original. There was no one else like him."
Avezzano was the head coach of Oregon State from 1980 to 1984 and hired by Jimmy Johnson to run the Cowboys special teams, a position he held from 1990 through 2002.
When Avezzano wasn't retained by the Cowboys, Jerry Jones gave him the gig coaching the Dallas Desperados before Avezzano was hired by Norv Turner to work with the Raiders until 2005.
Avezzano then moved to Italy where he coached the Milan Seamen until his death.
