Eddie Conyers, a longtime Alabama football practice referee, died at the age of 97 on Tuesday.
“We lost a true Alabama legend today,” Alabama athletic trainer Jeff Allen wrote in an X post. “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.”
Conyers, an Alabama native, was born in Montgomery in 1928 and moved to Tuscaloosa when he was 10. He graduated from Tuscaloosa High School in 1946, served two stints in the United States Navy and earned a degree from the University of Alabama.
He was a staple of the Alabama football program for more than 60 years, witnessing 12 national championships and 24 SEC championships. Paul “Bear” Bryant recruited Conyers to officiate the team’s scrimmages and practices. He served in this role from 1962 to 2024 and transitioned to an off-the-field role for the 2025 season.
He was known for his witty sense of humor and was often asked to speak at clubs and events across the Southeast.
“One of the first people to greet me when I would attend an Alabama practice was Eddie,” On3 reporter Chris Low wrote. “He was kind, witty and an encyclopedia for Alabama football.”
Even former head coach Nick Saban acknowledged Conyers’ impact on the team over a decade ago.
“Let me say this about Eddie, he is a part of the Alabama football tradition,” Saban said during his radio show in 2013
Tributes to Conyers poured in instantly as folks across the college football world paid their respects to the legendary practice official.
“I am so sad we lost a delightful man today. Eddie Conyers was my long time football buddy. One of a kind and a total joy to be with. Love you!!!” ESPN sideline reporter Holly Rowe wrote on X.
