Mark Richt has been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, the coach announced through his Twitter account on Thursday.
"I have been waddling around lately and people have asked me what's wrong. I've decided to tell everyone at the same time. I have been diagnosed with Parkinson's," Richt wrote.
The disease is most common in men above the age of 60. Richt turned 61 in February. From the National Institute on Aging:
Parkinson's disease is a brain disorder that leads to shaking, stiffness, and difficulty with walking, balance and coordination.
Parkinson's symptoms usually begin gradually and get worse over time. As the disease progresses, people may have difficulty walking and talking. They may also have mental and behavioral changes, sleep problems, depression, memory difficulties, and fatigue.
Both men and women can have Parkinson’s disease. However, the disease affects about 50 percent more men than women.
Richt closed his statement sharing his faith in God and looking forward to working this fall for ACC Network.
A former Miami quarterback, Richt began coaching as a GA at Florida State in 1985. He coached Charlie Ward to the Heisman Trophy in 1993, a season that saw Florida State win its first national title. He was the offensive coordinator when the 'Noles went wire-to-wire as the nation's No. 1 team in 1999.
Richt landed the head coaching job at Georgia in 2001, going 145-51 with two SEC titles, six SEC East crowns, and seven AP top-10 finishes, including a No. 3 mark in 2002 and a No. 2 finish in 2007. He then returned to his alma mater in 2016, going 26-13 in three seasons with one ACC Coastal crown.
The 2017 Walter Camp Coach of the Year has a College Football Hall of Fame plaque waiting for him once he meets the 5-year eligibility requirement.
In the meantime, Richt has some football to analyze and he's not letting one diagnosis stop him.