ALEXANDER CITY, Ala. — The beloved pastor for the Auburn University football team tragically passed away on Sunday after an incident on Lake Martin in central Alabama.

According to the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, Rev. Chette L. Williams fell overboard from his pontoon boat in the evening hours. His body was recovered approximately 90 minutes later, at the age of 61. The incident took place in close proximity to Kowaliga’s Restaurant dock in Elmore County.

Williams, who was not only a devoted pastor but also a former linebacker for Auburn, had been serving as the team chaplain since 1999. His commitment to the university extended beyond football, as he was also the campus director for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) at Auburn and served as the State Director for Urban Ministries within the organization.

During his time at Auburn, he played football from 1982 to 1984. Former Auburn head coach Sen. Tommy Tuberville, who led the team from 1999 to 2008, reflected on Williams’s impact, describing him as a “remarkable man who guided countless young individuals to the Lord throughout his life.”

In a heartfelt statement shared on social media, Tuberville emphasized that Williams’s leadership has been a constant presence in Auburn athletics for over two decades. He noted that Williams helped athletes grasp the concept that their true purpose extended far beyond the sports they played.