Dallas football coach Freddie James dies at 89

Freddie James, the longtime Carter High School football coach whose career inspired portrayals in Friday Night Lights, has died at 89, his family confirmed. He led the Dallas program from 1982 to 1995, compiling a 139-27-5 record and helping eight players reach the NFL. His 1988 team’s state title was revoked over an eligibility violation under Texas’ “no-pass, no-play” rule, but the team and James’s coaching legacy remain celebrated. James was inducted into the Texas Black Sports Hall of Fame and the Dallas ISD Athletic Hall of Fame, and colleagues remembered his emphasis on the lives he influenced beyond the field.