Kim Wood, NFL's first full-time strength coach and weight training pioneer, dead at 80

Fox News Flash top sports headlines are here. Check out what's clicking on FoxNews.com.

Kim Wood, the NFL's first full-time strength and conditioning coach, died Tuesday after battling a brief illness. He was 80.

The Cincinnati Bengals announced his death, calling him an "innovator who helped transform the weight training industry" while playing a prominent role on the Bengals' sideline.

He was employed by the Bengals from 1975, Paul Brown's final season as the team's head coach, through 2002.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM

Wood was an adamant opponent of steroids when they had risen to prominence in sports and bodybuilding, two of Wood’s niches. (Dylan Buell/Getty Images)

"I've lost a great friend, great coach, great guy," Bengals legendary defensive lineman Tim Krumrie said.

"He believed in the hands, the forearm and the grip," Anthony Munoz added, reflecting on how Wood felt about the importance of a firm handshake. "He was on the cutting edge of core work and arm strength. He understood the game so well. He understood what part of your body needed to be really emphasized to be the best."

"Everybody who knew him recognized what an extraordinary personality he possessed," Brown's son, Mike, said. "He was fun and interesting to be around. He was extroverted. He was always full of ideas and plans. He attracted people. The players enjoyed being around him, and so did everyone else."

Kim Wood was a pioneer in weight training in the late ’60s and early ’70s. (Cincinnati Bengals)

HALL OF FAME COACH SAYS HE FEELS 'GUILTY' BEING IN CANTON WITHOUT BILL BELICHICK

As weight training took off in the late ’60s and early ’70s, Wood became a major force in the industry, first at Nautilus, then with his own