NFL Pioneer and Legendary Bengals Coach Kim Wood Passes Away

Bengals legendary strength coach Kim Wood passed away on Tuesday night. He was 80 years old.

Wood was the NFL's first full-time strength coach. He joined the Bengals in 1975, which was Paul Brown's final season as head coach. He remained in Cincinnati through the 2002 season.

Brown had a vision for what NFL strength and conditioning should look like and Wood was the perfect person to lead the charge.

Legendary Bengals linebacker Reggie Williams reacted to the news on Facebook:

"Sadly, I was told that Cincinnati Bengals Strength and Conditioning Coach Kim Wood passed away." Williams wrote. "No other one person is responsible for turning an Ivy League prospect into a 14 year starting linebacker in the NFL than Kim Wood. If he demanded one more rep, I would give him two. Absolutely no steroids! Just 8-12 perfect reps to failure, three times a week, keep a chart, don’t cheat yourself, and always improve, every workout, no matter where you are on the planet. Pain is your friend. Only appears when making you stronger. Rest In Eternity my friend."

Wood pushed the Bengals to the limit and did it in a clean way—especially with so many professional athletes turning to steroids in the 1970s and 1980s.

"The great athletes would do what Paul Brown talked about," Wood told Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com in 2016. "They had fierce hearts and they ran on their own gas. The great athletes didn't take drugs. And if you ever asked them to 'Hey, try this,' they'd probably punch you in the face. It was not a part of their ethic."

Wood leaves behind four children and nine grandchilden. A celebration of life will be announced in the spring according to Bengals.com.