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Huffman Sports Wire — Breaking News Monday, October 19, 2026
Former NC State Coach Chuck Amato Dies at 80
Chuck Amato, the former NC State head coach and longtime Florida State assistant who built his career across parts of five decades, died on Monday morning at the age of 80. Amato had been in hospice care for several months after a recurrence of the throat cancer he first battled more than a decade earlier. His death closes the career of one of the most recognizable sideline figures in Wolfpack history.
Amato led his alma mater from 2000 through 2006 and finished with a 49-37 record across seven seasons in Raleigh. He guided NC State to five bowl games in that span, and the peak arrived in 2002 with an 11-3 season that set the school record for wins and ended with a Gator Bowl victory over Notre Dame. Quarterback Philip Rivers played all four of his college seasons under Amato, and defensive end Mario Williams developed under Amato before becoming the first overall pick in the 2006 NFL Draft.
The NC State connection started long before the head coaching job, because Amato played linebacker for the Wolfpack from 1965 through 1967 and served as a team captain as a senior. He was part of the 1965 team that earned a share of the ACC title, and he also won two ACC wrestling championships during his time as a student-athlete. His raspy voice and larger-than-life presence later made him a fan favorite known across the program as Chuck the Chest.
Amato spent the longest stretch of his assistant career at Florida State under head coach Bobby Bowden, working on the Seminoles staff from 1982 through 1999. That run ended with the 1999 season, when Florida State won its second national championship with Amato serving as defensive coordinator and assistant head coach. He returned to Florida State for three more seasons from 2007 through 2009 after his time as the NC State head coach ended.
His final coaching stop came at Akron, where he worked as defensive coordinator and assistant head coach under Terry Bowden from 2012 through 2017 before retiring after the 2017 season. Amato is survived by his wife, Peggy, and his daughters, LuGina and Selena. College football loses a coach who played for NC State, led NC State to its best season, and helped build a national power at Florida State along the way.
Sources: - [USA TODAY](https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaaf/2026/10/19/chuck-amato-death-obit-florida-state-nc-state/92331615007/) - [On3](https://www.on3.com/teams/nc-state-wolfpack/news/former-nc-state-coach-chuck-amato-dies-at-80/) - [247Sports](https://247sports.com/college/north-carolina-state/article/former-nc-state-football-head-coach-chuck-amato-passes-away-at-80-291512872/) - [Saturday Down South](https://www.saturdaydownsouth.com/news/college-football/chuck-amato-former-nc-state-hc-florida-state-assistant-passes-away-at-80/)