Former Georgia football coach Mark Richt announced Thursday night that he has Parkinson's disease.
Richt guided the Bulldogs to a 145-51 record from 2001-15, winning Southeastern Conference championships in 2002 and 2005. He also led the Bulldogs to five SEC East titles and to a 13-2 record against nonconference rival Georgia Tech, but he was fired less than 24 hours after a 13-7 win over the Yellow Jackets in 2015.
After his lengthy stint in Athens, Richt coached Miami, his alma mater, to a 26-13 record in three seasons and now serves as an analyst for the ACC Network.
"I have been waddling around lately and people have asked me what's wrong," the 61-year-old posted on Twitter. "I've decided to tell everyone at the same time. I have been diagnosed with Parkinson's. Truthfully I look at it as a momentary light affliction compared to the future glory in heaven. Thank you Jesus for promising us a future blessing of a glorified body that has no sin and no disease."
Parkinson's disease is a chronic neurologic condition that causes a gradual loss of nerve cells in the brain that produce the neurotransmitter dopamine, which carries signals to the part of the brain that controls movement and coordination. According to the Parkinson's Foundation website, it is estimated that at least one million people in the United States suffer from Parkinson's disease and roughly six million worldwide.
Parkinson's is second only to Alzheimer's disease as the most prevalent neurodegenerative disease.
"In the meantime, I am going to enjoy the blessings that I do have," Richt added in his tweet, "See you on the ACC Network."
Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6524. Follow him on Twitter @DavidSPaschall.