‘Ted Lasso’ Season 4 Episode 5 pays touching tribute to Burgess Hill Town FC coach
If the ending of the latest episode of ‘Ted Lasso’ Season 4 made you scratch your head, then you are not alone. Episode 5, titled 'Riches of Embarrassment,' dropped on September 2, and it has fans running to grab their phones to search for a particular person. And no, it is not any newly introduced cast member. Right before the end credits rolled, Apple TV surprised fans by playing Wilson Phillips’ song ‘Hold On’, and that’s when the words “In memory of Joel Stevens” appeared on screen. But who was Joel Stevens? And what’s his connection with the hit sports comedy? Well, Apple TV has not officially announced the reason behind the tribute card. But we did some digging, and Stevens was a “beloved family member, friend, and football coach/fan” who passed away on August 15 last year.
His death was not sudden, as he was diagnosed with cancer. Stevens used to coach Burgess Hill Town Junior FC. In 2025, the team lost not only him but also their general manager, Graham George. The club shared a moving post about them on Facebook, which reads, “It is with immense sadness that we share the news that one of our U14s pathway boys' teams has recently suffered the devastating loss of not one, but two hugely loved and inspirational figures of our club family.” The post reveals, “Just a few weeks ago, we said goodbye to Graham George, the team manager, who bravely battled cancer with courage and dignity throughout his life. Last week, we were heartbroken once more with the passing of Joel Stevens, the team’s coach, following a shock diagnosis of cancer less than a month ago.”
They describe Stevens as a “larger-than-life character who wore his heart on his sleeve. His cheeky grin, quick wit, and banter with the boys made him truly special. He was a mentor, a mate, and a coach who instilled a style of fast, fearless football that will always remain part of the team’s DNA.” So now, it’s not hard to see the connection between him and ‘Ted Lasso’, the show about an American football coach. Meanwhile, in Season 4, “Ted (Jason Sudeikis) returns to Richmond, taking on his biggest challenge yet: coaching a second division women’s football team. Throughout the course of the season, Ted and the team learn to leap before they look, taking chances they never thought they would.” Debuting on August 5, the latest instalment is following a weekly schedule. Episode 6 will air on September 9.
