Auburn University is mourning the death of Rev. Chette Williams, the school’s beloved football chaplain since 1999 and director of its Fellowship of Christian Athletes organization. 

Williams, 61, died Sunday evening in an accident at Lake Martin. Attempting to board a boat, the chaplain fell off the dock and drowned near Kowaliga Restaurant. 

U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville, Auburn’s previous football coach who named Williams chaplain, grieved the news of his longtime friend’s death.

“Heartbroken to hear the news about Chette Williams,” Tuberville wrote on X. “Brother Chette was a remarkable man who led hundreds of young people to the Lord through the years. … more than sports, Brother Chette helped athletes understand that their purpose was much greater than anything they could ever accomplish on the field.”

University President Dr. Chris Roberts shared his condolences on AuburnTigers.com. 

“For 25 years, Rev. Chette Williams was unwavering in his devotion toward guiding and supporting our student-athletes,” Roberts said. “Chette was a steady presence and a source of comfort for all who sought his counsel. I admire the way he poured into our students, helping them develop into Auburn men and women of character and integrity. My sympathies are with his family and all of those in the Auburn Family to whom Chette meant so much.”

A linebacker for the Auburn Tigers from 1982-84, Williams helped Auburn win the 1983 SEC championship and 1984 Sugar Bowl. He helped the team secure two other bowl game victories during his playing days. 

Before Williams gave his life to Christ, his teammates labeled him as a person who “wasn’t worth praying for,” according to the synopsis of Williams’ book “Hard Fighting Solder: Finding God in Trials, Tragedies, and Triumphs,” published in 2007. The synopsis states that “He was a mean, bitter, angry young man, and when Coach Pat Dye kicked him off the team, nobody was surprised. With God’s help, Williams turned his life around, and he vowed to help others to do the same.”

After receiving a bachelor’s degree in adult education in 1985, he became licensed as a minister in 1987 and ordained in 1988. From 1991 to 1993, he co-pastored New Song Baptist Church and received his master’s of divinity in 1993 from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. He then pastored New Covenant Baptist Church in New Orleans and in 1995 served as president of IMPACT Ministries in South Carolina. His most recent book, published in 2013, is “The Broken Road: Finding God’s Strength and Grace on a Journey of Faith.”

Known affectionately as Brother Chette, Williams stood with the Tigers for 26 seasons, attending each practice, workout, team meeting and game.  

Following his death, Tigers team members shared how Williams impacted their lives in an AuburnTigers.com news story. Luke Deal, team captain and tight end from 2019-24, told how Williams encouraged him through a time of grief. 

“He was there when my dad passed away,” Deal said. “He was a constant presence in my life and someone who had lost a loved one. He was there to talk, pray and be there for me during a difficult time.”

Eugene Asante, team captain and linebacker from 2022-24, also shared how Williams stood as a godly influence in his life. 

“I’ve seen him impact our team in tremendous ways,” Asante said. “He consistently poured into the development of young players, a vessel God used day in and day out to preach His Word and be a light. … He used his story to motivate and draw souls to Christ. He laid it all on the table for us. I sat there and heard his heart. I saw so much change in my life since I first got to Auburn because of Brother Chette.”

After former Tigers football players Mike Blanc and Rashan Frost spoke fondly about him in a 2017 AuburnTigers.com news story, Williams gave glory the God. 

“It’s very humbling,” he said. “It takes my breath away seeing them mature and progress over the years. They were kids when they were here. Now, they’re changing lives at major institutions. It is quite humbling. I give all glory and all honor to God for allowing me and others to pour into their lives. … I’m like a proud father. Not just me, but Auburn University, the Auburn Family should be proud because they allowed me to come here. They gave me the opportunity to do what God has equipped me to do. These are the results.”

Williams was preceded in death by son Chette Jr. in 2019. He is survived by his wife, Lakeba, along with his two daughters, Lauren and Caitlyn.

Photo Courtesy of Auburn University Athletics