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Hall of Fame Auburn coach Pat Dye tests positive for coronavirus

Pat Dye, former head football coach at Auburn University,  speaks during a Little Rock Touchdown Club luncheon, Monday, Nov. 20, 3006, in Little Rock, Ark. (AP Photo/Mike Wintroath)
Pat Dye is reportedly asymptomatic, but was still hospitalized. (AP Photo/Mike Wintroath)

Auburn coaching great Pat Dye has tested positive for COVID-19, his family confirmed to ESPN on Thursday morning.

As multiple reports Wednesday night indicated, the 80-year-old Dye is asymptomatic, but has been hospitalized due to longstanding kidney issues.

"As has previously been reported, my dad has tested positive for the COVID-19 virus," Pat Dye Jr. told ESPN in a statement. "However, his positive test occurred a number of days ago during a routine precautionary test pursuant to his hospitalization for kidney-related issues.”

Dye Jr. said his father is “resting comfortably” and is expected to be released from the hospital in the coming days “once his kidney function is stable.”

“On behalf of my family, I want to thank everyone for the overwhelming support for Dad and our family upon the reporting of this news," Dye Jr. said.

Word of Dye’s diagnosis reportedly first emerged after the church of a family member of the coach sent out a request for prayers.

Dye is best known for his Auburn tenure between 1981 and 1992, in which he went 99-39-4 while capturing four SEC titles. He was named SEC coach of the year three times, national coach of the year once and also was Auburn’s athletic director for 10 years.

The field at Auburn’s Jordan-Hare Stadium is named “Pat Dye Field” in his honor.

Before Auburn, Dye served as head coach at East Carolina and Wyoming and was an All-American offensive guard at Georgia. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2005.

Per The New York Times, the state of Alabama has 13,052 reported cases of coronavirus as of Wednesday, as well as 522 deaths. Two-hundred and ninety new cases were reported Tuesday.

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