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Ron Lancaster Jr. accepts the Commissioners Award on behalf of his late father at the CFL awards in Montreal, Thursday, Nov.20 2008.The Canadian Press

Former Canadian Football League coach Ron Lancaster Jr. was found dead in his Hamilton apartment late Tuesday, family members have confirmed.

Lancaster Jr., the 50-year-old son of Canadian Football Hall of Fame quarterback Ron Lancaster, passed away "in his sleep," said Larry Mueller, who is married to Lancaster Jr.'s sister Lana. Mueller told CBC Hamilton that, "Sometimes you just wear out."

Mueller described Lancaster Jr. as "a good young guy, good family guy, a hard-working guy. He just went too early. And he'll be missed."

Lancaster Jr. was a CFL assistant coach with the Toronto Argonauts, Edmonton Eskimos, Hamilton Tiger-Cats and Winnipeg Blue Bombers. He coached in five Grey Cups and won the 1999 CFL championship with the Ticats.

For the past few seasons, he had been coaching at the junior high and high school level in Hamilton. His father, a legendary football player, coach and television commentator, died of a heart attack on Sept. 18, 2008. He was 69.

Lancaster also had deep ties to Canadian university football, serving as head coach at Manitoba (1996-95) and as an assistant at McMaster, University of Toronto and Acadia, respectively, from 1985-90. He began his coaching career as the offensive coordinator at Central Colligate in Regina.

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