The cause of death is unknown, but the impact Byrne had on Benton football and the many who came through there during his lengthy tenure as a defensive coordinator and head coach is not.

“I’ve never met a more hard-nosed, more straight-laced guy in my life. He was a positive role model for all those kids,” said current Benton football coach Matt Tabor, whose father Don Tabor employed Byrne as his defensive coordinator for 13 years. “I’ve had a lot conversations about him today and everybody said the same thing: he was a good guy and there’s something to be said for that.”

Byrne succeeded Don Tabor as the Cardinals’ head coach from 1997-03 and worked as the school’s defensive leader from 1984-1996. Matt Tabor often sought Byrne’s counsel during his now-seven years leading the Cardinals — he played in the secondary for Byrne during his father’s tenure — and Byrne spoke to the team at least once a year.

Byrne’s enduring legacy probably won’t center on football, but rather the way he connected with those around him.

“He used to say this all the time: ‘What are people gonna say about you when you’re gone?’ Everyone’s gonna say he was a good person,” said Matt Tabor, who spoke to Byrne as recently as this week. “He was a coach; that’s who he was, but I haven’t had one person today call me and say one thing about football.”