Former FSU and Cowboys tackle Char-Ron Dorsey died on March 4, aged 46, following complications from a stroke.
The former linesman starred on the line on championship Bolles School teams on his way to a national title at Florida State University. He also played two NFL seasons and boasted an extensive and successful coaching career in Jacksonville.
His death was confirmed by Terry Parker High School coach Mike Holloway, who coached under Dorsey.
“Just at a loss for words thinking about my brother. He’s had an impact on so many kids that have had the opportunity to make it to the next level,” Holloway said, as reported by Jacksonville Florida Times-Union.
At the Bolles School in Florida, Dorsey received First-Team 4A All-State honors three times as a defensive tackle.
Dorsey excelled on both sides of the line as a tackle, but converted to the offensive in 2000. He played in Florida State’s undefeated national title team led by legendary coach Bobby Bowden in 1999.
He played 12 games over two seasons when the Dallas Cowboys chose him in the seventh round of the 2001 NFL Draft, first with the Cowboys and then with the Houston Texans in 2002. During his rookie season, he played in nine games.
After his playing career ended in 2003, he coached at the high school and middle school levels in Florida, not far from the neighborhood he grew up in.
According to coach Holloway, Dorsey was a great encouragement to the local youth.
“That was what he always told the kids, all you’ve got to do is work hard and you can make it. But you have to be willing to go through the fire,” he said.
Dorsey had attended Matthew Gilbert Middle School in his youth. He later joined the school as a coach and helped it build a successful team that went undefeated for almost 10 years, going 87-5 over 10 seasons with three championships.
He was later hired by Parker High School in 2018, after their team had an unsuccessful run consistently since 2008, leading the team to a long-awaited district championship in 2019.
“He cared for the kids. The kids were his main priority. He fought for them tooth and nail. He was a great example as a man. He could relate to the kids,” according to Parker Athletic director Brad Bernard.
“No kid could come to him and tell him something that he didn’t understand. He could relate to them. I think he saved some kids. … If a kid came up to him and said they were going through hard times, he encouraged them to fight through it because he went through it.”
His son C.J. Dorsey emerged as a distinguished player during his father’s time at Parker. He now plays defensive back at Ferris State University in Michigan.
