On Saturday, the Wisconsin Badgers announced the passing of former assistant football coach Henry Mason.
We are deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Henry Mason. He was a staple of our program for nearly 30 years, as an assistant coach and liaison to NFL teams and high school coaches.
— Wisconsin Football (@BadgerFootball) April 12, 2026
A friend and mentor to so many, we’re grateful for our time with him and our thoughts are… pic.twitter.com/JmBRwLPYER
Before coming to Madison, Mason bounced around as both an assistant football coach and a head coach at both the high school and collegiate ranks. According to Erik S. Hanley of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Mason began coaching in 1979 at Lexington (MO) High School before becoming an assistant coach at Baker University in Kansas. From 1982 to 1990, Mason served as the head coach of Smith-Cotton High School in Sedalia, Missouri, and later as a wide receivers coach at Western Michigan from 1991 to 1994.
After the 1994 season, the Wisconsin Badgers hired Mason as their wide receivers coach, a position he held for 12 seasons until 2007. Unfortunately, Mason sustained a career-ending spinal cord injury during his coaching tenure, marking the 2007 Badgers season his final in college football. After his football coaching career, Mason also served as the Director of Student-Athlete Engagement and Outreach at Wisconsin.
The impact of Mason’s career was evident after news of his passing. Upon the announcement, multiple tributes from prominent names in Wisconsin Badgers athletics were posted on X.
As well liked and respected as any coach I’ve known here. Henry represents what is good about the coaching profession. He made it better. The rest of us who knew Henry and enjoyed our many conversations with him are forever grateful. Simply put, a wonderful human being. https://t.co/PAOBiuonvT
— Matt Lepay (@MattLepay) April 12, 2026
This speaks to the respect Henry Mason had from within the coaching fraternity, not only in his sport, but from every coach who got to know him. Henry also had the respect from every player that he mentored, from every life that he touched, from every person that he made better. https://t.co/yOTY8NZeHd
— Mike Lucas (@LucasAtLarge) April 12, 2026
Coach Mason, You Will Be Missed …
— Aaron Henry (@AaronHenry7) April 12, 2026
Thank You For Those Real Conversations and the Impact you had on me as a Player… one thing about you is that you always kept it real…
I Love and Appreciate you for that…
May your soul rest in peace…. https://t.co/p9GO8Z8Z7D
Coach Mason thank you for being an amazing coach, leader and mentor. You will truly be missed. https://t.co/69Vw6EGgnC
— Antonio Fenelus (@coachyoyo_) April 12, 2026
Loved Coach Mason! Always enjoyed our conversations and his insight…he will be missed #Badgers https://t.co/ygXMlVToGA
— Brian Calhoun (@brian_calhoun2) April 12, 2026
— Casey Rabach (@CaseyRabach_61) April 12, 2026
I rarely, if ever post, but this one hits different. Henry was one of the few remaining "real ones" in our profession. Always knew who I was, where I'd been recruiting, and offering to help every step of the way. I've always judged people by how they treat others and he was as…
— Greg Gard (@GregGard) April 12, 2026
Under Mason’s guidance, the Badgers saw wide receiver program greats Chris Chambers and Lee Evans get drafted into the NFL. Evans finished his career as the Badgers’ all-time leader in receiving yards with 3,468 yards before becoming a first-round draft pick by the Buffalo Bills in 2004. Chambers currently ranks seventh in school history with 2004 receiving yards and was a second-round pick by the Miami Dolphins in 2001.
Perhaps one of Mason’s underrated contributions came during Barry Alvarez’s final season in Madison. The Badgers found themselves down 20-16 against 14th-ranked Michigan at home in 2005, but were facing 3rd-and-goal with 29 seconds left in the game. According to Zach Heilprin, it was Mason’s suggestion that Wisconsin run a quarterback draw with John Stocco to throw off Michigan’s defense.
The rest was history.
A great man and coach, Henry Mason was responsible for one of the more memorable moments at Camp Randall.
— Zach Heilprin (@ZachHeilprin) April 12, 2026
It was his suggestion to run this QB draw that totally caught Michigan by surprise, helping give Barry Alvarez another signature win. https://t.co/3rJ952EyVu pic.twitter.com/kfmUh4k93I
Mason passed away from pancreatic cancer at the age of 70, leaving a lasting legacy in Wisconsin football.