The NFL is mourning the loss of one of its own this week, upon news of Gil Brandt’s death in Dallas. Brandt, 91, was an innovator in pro football who spent decades working in personnel departments around the league — rising to prominence as an architect of the Dallas Cowboys, where he ran the scouting department from 1960 to 1988. He was selected for the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2019.
New Orleans Saints general manager Mickey Loomis issued a statement remembering Brandt’s influence on the sport and his own career:
“I am deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Gil Brandt. He was a legend, icon and pioneer of our industry. I first met Gil in 1984, at a combine that the Cowboys, Bills, Seahawks and 49ers conducted. Gil was the architect of that combine and his influence can still be seen, not only in the current combine, but also in the way that teams evaluate college prospects today. He was keen on not just understanding the metrics of players, but also the intangible qualities that would lead to their success. He had an uncanny ability to recall the smallest details about a person. He helped so many people get started in their careers in the NFL and then continued to guide and mentor them. I am grateful to be included in that group. He was a great friend, a true Hall of Famer and he will be sorely missed.”
Brandt has been credited with developing a scouting and evaluation process which became standard around the league, and he was also influential in the annual NFL Scouting Combine as a hub for pre-draft workouts and interviews. His fingerprints are still seen all around the pro football world. He’ll be missed by many who knew him, including Loomis.
