Courtesy of TCU
Gary Patterson
The Davey O’Brien Foundation has found perhaps the most appropriate recipient for its annual Legends Award.
When you’re as well known by your given name as by the initials “GMFP,” you already fit the profile.
The foundation announced this week that Gary Patterson, the winningest coach in TCU history who brought the football program back to prominence unseen since David O'Brien himself (he was not a fan of the pet name, I'm told), would be this year’s recipient. He is the second coach to be so honored since the foundation expanded the award’s criteria in 2024. Mack Brown was selected last year.
The Legends Award recognizes a college or professional quarterback or coach who has made a significant contribution to the game of football, distinguished himself as an extraordinary leader and demonstrated exemplary conduct both on and off the football field.
Patterson will be honored at the 49th Davey O’Brien Awards Dinner on Feb. 16 at the Fort Worth Club. So, too, will Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza, winner of the Davey O’Brien National Quarterback Award. Maile Farden of Southlake Carroll High School has been selected as the High School Scholarship Award winner.
To purchase tickets or for more information, email Trisha Branch.
Patterson served as the Horned Frogs’ head coach from 2000-21, where he compiled a record of 181–79. He won a total of 22 national coach of the year honors and guided the Horned Frogs to six conference championships, while mentoring 263 all-conference selections, 21 first-team All-Americans and 55 NFL Draft picks.
Patterson also led TCU to 11 bowl victories, including the 2011 Rose Bowl against Wisconsin (21-19) and the 2014 Peach Bowl over Ole Miss (42-3).
His 2010 squad finished the season undefeated at 13-0 and ranked second in both major postseason polls. The 2009 Horned Frogs enjoyed 12-0 regular season and ranked No. 4 in the final BCS ranking, while the 2014 team finished sixth in the inaugural College Football Playoff selection committee. (Editor’s note: We all remember that screwing over.)
Patterson started his TCU career as the team’s defensive coordinator from 1998-2000. He had previous assistant coaching stops at New Mexico, Navy, Utah State, Sonoma State, Pittsburgh State, Cal Lutheran, UC Davis, Tennessee Tech and Kansas State.
A native of Rozell, Kansas, he played safety and linebacker at Dodge City (1978-79) and Kansas State (1980-81). Patterson received his bachelor’s degree in physical education in 1983 from Kansas State.
Patterson was inducted into the TCU Athletics Hall of Fame in 2025.
The coach and Grammy Award-winning recording artist Leon Bridges founded The Big Good in 2020, a nonprofit that partners with local organizations working to meet critical, unmet needs across the Fort Worth region. Since its founding, The Big Good has invested more than $4 million back into the community.
The first winner of the Davey O’Brien Award was Texas running back Earl Campbell. In the early years, the award was presented to the player judged as the best at any position in the Southwest. Baylor linebacker Mike Singletary won it back-to-back in 1979-80. Since that time, the award has been reserved for the best QB across the nation. The first QB winner was BYU’s Jim McMahon in 1981.
Starting in 2001, the foundation began honoring a legend every year. Roger Staubach was the first recipient — naturally.