Terry Don Phillips, the former Clemson athletic director, passed away in the early hours of May 26. He was 78.

Clemson Tigers’ football coach Dabo Swinney announced the news of Phillips’ passing in a press conference. Swinney is mourning the loss of not just his mentor but a dear friend. 

“It’s a tough day for a lot of people, but man, so much to celebrate and so much to be thankful for. Because this man lived, and this man changed a lot of people’s lives. He certainly changed my life. He changed Clemson,” Swinney said of Phillips per The State. 

According to an obituary by Clemson, Phillips was diagnosed with dementia over a year ago. He was in Clemson under hospice care. In the recent months before the time of his passing, Phillips “really wasn’t doing well,” Swinney said. 

Phillips served as the program’s director for 10 years from 2002 to 2012. He chose Swinney as the interim coach after firing Tommy Bowden in 2008. He took a risk with Swinney, as at the time, he was a wide receivers coach with zero coordinator experience. 

Swinney delivered two national championships in 2016 and 2018 and is entering his 17th full season. 

Apart from Swinney, Phillips made some significant hires, like the current men’s basketball coach, Brad Brownell, another “winningest” coach.

He also hired Eddie Radwanski, the current women's soccer coach, who was the first coach to lead a Clemson women's program to the final four. 

“I've said that many times. Sometimes other people see things in you before you even see it in yourself or believe it in yourself, and he was one of those people for me,” Swinney was seen saying in an X post shared by Marc Whiteman.

In his tenure, Clemson won 13 ACC Championships in eight different sports, including five women's sports. He was inducted into the Clemson Athletic Hall of Fame in 2019.

Despite His Dementia, Terry Phillips’ Fulfilling Life After Retirement

Terry Phillips lived with his wife, Tricia, in the Clemson area post-retirement. She has been an “amazing” supporter of Phillips, who kept the folks from Clemson updated on his health.

The two decided to “make the best of a journey nobody wants,” after he was diagnosed with an unspecified type of dementia in 2012. 

“Their intentionality to find joy in every day brought laughter, traveling backroads across the U.S. with their beloved yellow lab, Atticus, and a lot of ice cream,” Phillips’ obituary read. 

Phillips is survived by his wife, children, and two grandchildren, both of whom are now students at his alma mater, the University of Arkansas.

A private burial and service will be held at a later date in Texas, where he was born. Our prayers are with Phillips’ friends and family.

Read more at the Michigan Football Community!

Written by

Akanksha Biradar