Sports
DeSean Jackson Named Head Football Coach at Delaware State University
Former NFL wide receiver DeSean Jackson has been named the new head football coach at Delaware State University, the historically Black university announced on Wednesday, Jan. 8. Jackson, a three-time Pro Bowl selection known for his electrifying plays during his 14-year NFL career, will take the reins of a program that has struggled in recent years, winning just two games over the past two seasons.
“I’m fired up. I’m ready to go,” Jackson said during his introductory press conference. “I’m really ready to get on the field right now. Ya’ll lucky we got all these NCAA rules. I’m ready to go to work!” Jackson, who retired from the NFL in 2022, previously served as an offensive coordinator at Woodrow Wilson High School in Long Beach, California, before accepting the role at Delaware State.
Delaware State University President Tony Allen expressed confidence in Jackson’s ability to elevate the program. “Continue to raise the profile of the fastest-growing, most substantively diverse, contemporary unapologetic HBCU in the nation,” Allen said. Jackson emphasized that his primary goal is to instill a winning culture while ensuring his players are prepared for life beyond football. “It’s going to look a certain way, and we’re going to do it a certain way,” Jackson said. “But at the end of the day, we’re going to have fun doing it.”
Jackson’s hiring follows a trend of high-profile NFL players transitioning to coaching roles at historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs). NFL legend Deion Sanders, who coached at Jackson State before moving to the University of Colorado, has paved the way for such appointments. Jackson acknowledged Sanders’ influence but vowed to carve his own path. “I know a lot of people say, ‘Coach Prime, Coach Prime.’ I respect him, and he gave us, guys like myself, an opportunity,” Jackson said. “I’m going to do it different than Prime. I’m going to do it the Coach Jackson way.”
Delaware State’s football program has faced significant challenges, with only five winning seasons in the past 29 years. Jackson’s task will be to rebuild the team and attract top talent. “We want to shock the world,” Jackson said. “We want to create history.” His hiring has already generated excitement among fans and alumni, who hope his NFL pedigree and charismatic leadership will breathe new life into the program.
Jackson’s former high school coach, Travis Clark, who worked with him at Woodrow Wilson High, praised his coaching abilities. “The same characteristics about what he does as a football player, he has as a coach,” Clark said. “He’s a great coach.” Jackson’s journey from NFL star to college head coach marks a new chapter for both him and Delaware State University, as they aim to turn the Hornets into a competitive force in college football.