Longtime Alabama Football Practice Referee Eddie Conyers Dies at 97

Conyers was a fixture at Alabama football practices for over 60 years, working with 12 national championship teams.

Jan. 27, 2026 at 3:47pm

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Eddie Conyers, a beloved figure who served as a practice referee for the University of Alabama football team for over six decades, has passed away at the age of 97. Conyers was a trusted presence and had a deep institutional memory of the program, working with legendary coaches like Bear Bryant, Gene Stallings, and Nick Saban.

Why it matters

Conyers was a beloved and respected member of the Alabama football community, serving as a practice referee for over 60 years and witnessing the program's most iconic eras of success. His dedication and service to the team were recognized with numerous honors, including having the coaches' dressing room named after him in 2006.

The details

Conyers, a native of Montgomery, Alabama, first started working as a practice referee for the Crimson Tide in 1962 under legendary head coach Bear Bryant. He went on to work with 12 national championship teams over the course of his long career, becoming one of the longest-tenured members of the Alabama athletics family. Conyers was known for his sharp institutional memory and trusted presence on the practice field.

  • Conyers first started working as a practice referee for Alabama in 1962.
  • Conyers worked with 12 national championship teams over the course of his career.
  • In 2006, the Alabama football program honored Conyers by dedicating the coaches' dressing room in the football complex in his name.
  • Conyers passed away on January 27, 2026 at the age of 97.

The players

Eddie Conyers

A beloved figure who served as a practice referee for the University of Alabama football team for over six decades, working with legendary coaches like Bear Bryant, Gene Stallings, and Nick Saban.

Bear Bryant

The legendary head coach of the University of Alabama football team who first hired Conyers as a practice referee in 1962.

Gene Stallings

A former head coach of the University of Alabama football team who worked with Conyers during his tenure as a practice referee.

Nick Saban

The current head coach of the University of Alabama football team who worked with Conyers during his tenure as a practice referee.

Jeff Allen

The University of Alabama Director of Sports Medicine who confirmed Conyers' passing and called him a "true Alabama legend".

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What they’re saying

“We lost a true Alabama legend today. Eddie Conyers was a remarkable man who was a part of this program from Coach Bryant's first years until this season. I will always cherish the conversations we had at practice for the past 19 seasons. He loved Alabama and he loved our players.”

— Jeff Allen, University of Alabama Director of Sports Medicine

“Obviously, it's a great honor. I genuinely love this program, this school and all those people who've been involved with Crimson Tide football for so many years.”

— Eddie Conyers

What’s next

Funeral arrangements for Eddie Conyers have not been made public at this time.

The takeaway

Eddie Conyers' decades-long dedication and service to the University of Alabama football program, working with legendary coaches and witnessing the team's greatest successes, cemented his legacy as a true Alabama legend whose impact extended far beyond the practice field.