Former FSU Football National Champion Char-Ron Dorsey Passes Away At 46

The former Seminole was a member of the 1999 National Championship team in Tallahassee.

Earlier this week, the Florida State community suffered an unfortunate loss with the passing of a member of Seminole Nation.

On Monday, former FSU offensive lineman and 1999 National Champion, Char-ron Dorsey, passed away due to complications from a stroke, according to The Florida Times-Union. The 46-year-old spent his college days in Tallahassee and played in the NFL prior to settling in his hometown of Jacksonville as a coach, putting his best foot forward to assist youth athletes in the area.

Dorsey signed with the Seminoles in 1997 as one of the top defensive linemen in the Sunshine State. He played defensive tackle at The Bolles School and was named first-team all-state for three years while also winning a state championship. Dorsey also played basketball during his prep career.

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One reason that Florida State recruited Dorsey was due to his feet. Legendary head coach Bobby Bowden even made a trip to watch him on the hardwood in a story recited by Dorsey's longtime friend and coaching colleague, Michael Holloway.

"I remember Coach Bobby Bowden came out here to watch him play for Bolles basketball because he heard he had great feet," Holloway said The Florida Times-Union.

Dorsey began his time at the college level as a defensive lineman, recording 11 tackles, two tackles for loss, and a sack as a freshman. He converted to the offensive side of the ball for his final three years at Florida State, settling in as an offensive tackle. Dorsey dealt with a neck injury that sidelined him for most of his sophomore season before contributing as a backup in the program's run to its second national championship in 1999.

The Florida native stepped into a starting role as a senior, locking down the right side of the offensive line for 13 games as the Seminoles came up short against Oklahoma in the Orange Bowl in their quest for back-to-back titles. Dorsey was named a first-team All-ACC selection for his efforts. He appeared in 20 games, with 13 starts, at Florida State.

The Dallas Cowboys selected Dorsey with the No. 242 overall pick in the seventh round of the 2001 NFL Draft. He appeared in nine games, with two starts, during his rookie season but was released by the Cowboys the following year. Dorsey landed with the Houston Texans shortly after his tenure in Dallas ended. He was set to play for the New York Giants in 2023 prior to a career-ending knee injury.

Dorsey took the natural step into coaching after his playing career subsided. Matthew Gilbert Middle School didn't lose a game for almost a decade while he was head coach. He coached at the high school level for Jackson High School (2011-12) and Parker High School (2018-22). Dorsey helped guide Parker to a playoff berth in 2019.

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