On Sunday, longtime Auburn University football chaplain, the Rev. Chette Williams, drowned after falling into the water at a boat dock. He was 61.

According to the university, Williams had served as chaplain since 1999.

WSFA reported that Elmore County Sherriff Bill Franklin said Williams fell while getting on a boat near Kowaliga Restaurant after learning it was closed for a private function. Per the outlet, the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences is conducting an autopsy.

Sen. Tommy Tuberville, a former Auburn football coach, tweeted, in part, “Heartbroken to hear the news about Chette Williams” and mentioned how he “helped athletes understand that their purpose was much greater than anything they could ever accomplish on the field.”

Heartbroken to hear the news about Chette Williams. Brother Chette was a remarkable man who led hundreds of young people to the Lord through the years. He was the architect of the 2004 Hard Fighting Soldiers theme that turned into a national movement. His leadership has been a… pic.twitter.com/Qwr7excMZe
— Coach Tommy Tuberville (@SenTuberville) December 16, 2024

Williams was a former linebacker for the Auburn Tigers and earned a bachelor’s degree in adult education in 1985 and a master’s of divinity from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary in 1993 before becoming a minister, according to the university.

He was also the Auburn campus director for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and the state director for Urban Ministries for FCA. Williams is survived by his daughters, Lauren and Caitlyn. His son, Chette Jr., preceded him in death in 2019.

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