According to The Detroit News' Angelique Chengelis, DeBord passed away. DeBord died due to complications from a stroke he suffered in 2021.
Very sad news — Mike DeBord, former Michigan offensive coordinator and offensive line coach, has died according to his son.
— angelique (@chengelis) April 15, 2025
Mike DeBord was born on Feb. 7th, 1956 in Muncie, Indiana, his football career began at Manchester College where he started all four years on the offensive line, was an NAIA All-American honorable mention and a captain in 1977.
From 1982 when he began his coaching career to 1994, DeBord coached many schools including Ball State, Franklin College, Fort Hays State University, Eastern Illinois and Colorado State before getting his break in the Big Ten at Northwestern.
He then took over as offensive line coach for Michigan from 1995-1999 winning a national championship in 1997.
DeBord became head coach at Central Michigan from 2000-03, where he had a 12-34 overall record with the Chippewas.
He then returned to Michigan from 2004-07 as an offensive line coach before heading to the NFL to coach the Tennessee Titans’ as offensive coordinator in 2015 and 2016 under Jeff Fisher.
DeBord joined Allen’s staff at Indiana as offensive coordinator in 2017 and also coached under Allen in 2018, with a 10-14 overall record in two seasons.
“I was Blessed to be mentored by and coach with Mike DeBord. He was one of the best men that I know in the coaching profession! #LEO,” Allen said in an X post on Tuesday evening.
I was Blessed to be mentored by and coach with Mike DeBord. He was one of the best men that I know in the coaching profession! #LEO pic.twitter.com/kp7K0bt7oA
— Coach Tom Allen (@Coach_TomAllen) April 16, 2025
After his stint at Indiana DeBord went on to coach as an assistant for the Seattle Seahawks, Chicago Bears and the AFL's San Diego Fleet offensive coordinator in 2019.
His final year of coaching before retirement was the back at Michigan, serving as the offensive analyst for the 2020 team.
"He taught me so much in life, I am so grateful the good Lord blessed me with the best Dad!," Tyler DeBord posted on Facebook. "He was a man of faith, an unbelievable dad, husband, grandpa and man! For all his successes in life, he always stuck to his small-town roots and never forgot where he came from.