Former Penn State football All-American, coach passes away

The Penn State football community mourned the passing of one of its own this week. On Wednesday, the Miami Dolphins announced that former defensive lineman Randy Crowder had died at the age of 72. 

We are saddened by the passing of former Dolphins player Randy Crowder, who played for the team from 1974-1976. pic.twitter.com/LRpWOPqgfu

— Miami Dolphins (@MiamiDolphins) May 21, 2025

A native of Sharon, Pennsylvania, Crowder was a key figure for the Penn State football program in the early years of the Joe Paterno era. He was a team captain and first-team All-American on the 1973 Nittany Lions squad that went 12-0, beat LSU in the Orange Bowl, and finished No. 5 in the nation. It was the third undefeated season of Paterno’s career. 

Crowder was selected by the Dolphins in the eighth round of the 1974 NFL Draft. He played three seasons in Miami before finishing his career with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. 

After officially retiring from professional football, Crowder returned to Happy Valley to serve on Paterno’s staff. He coached defensive line for Penn State in 1983 and 1984. A pair of down seasons between the program’s two national titles in the 1980s, the Nittany Lions went 8-4-1 and 6-5, respectively, over the two years.

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