From Sundays to Fridays, Philip Rivers, Carson Palmer and Chad Pennington headline list of former pros leading prep teams.
From Super Bowl champions to Heisman Trophy winners, more than 100 former NFL players are high school football head coaches in 2025.
Quarterbacks like Philip Rivers, Carson Palmer and Chad Pennington lead the way with the latter being one of at least 12 former NFL players to win a state championship in 2024 as a head coach.
Players from nearly every position are represented on this list, including kicker, which is led by Phil Dawson and Robbie Gould.
Every player on this list was active on a NFL roster for at least one regular season game.
Former Baltimore Raven Willie Gaston leads the highest-ranked program on this list in
North Shore (Houston, Texas), which checked in at No. 25 in the Preseason MaxPreps Top 25. Gaston took over the job in 2023, coaching the Mustangs to a 15-1 record and state championship game appearance.
Additions or corrections? Email thomas.frey@playonsports.com.
C.J. Anderson, Benicia (Calif.) NFL resume: Super Bowl 50 champion with the Broncos. Rushed for 3,497 career rushing yards and 22 touchdowns between 2013-19.
NFL resume: Played in two games for the 2014 Texans.
JoJuan Armour, Reynoldsburg (Ohio)
NFL resume: 38 career games at defensive back from 1999-2002.
Don Barclay, Seneca Valley (Harmony, Pa.)
NFL resume: 65 career games at guard between 2012-17.
Lew Barnes, Olympian (Chula Vista, Calif.)
NFL resume: 1,066 return yards in 31 career games over three years.
NFL resume: Super Bowl XLV champion. Recorded 1,043 tackles, 20.5 sacks and 12 interceptions from 2003-13. Key interceptions came against Michael Vick, Donovan McNabb, Philip Rivers and Tom Brady.
Jason Belser, Benjamin (Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.)
NFL resume: 856 tackles and 14 interceptions between 1992-2002. Picked off two passes in a 1995 NFL playoff game.
NFL resume: The 2003 first-round pick had 17.5 sacks in a career that spanned until 2011.
Bucky Brooks, Granada Hills Charter (Granada Hills, Calif.)
NFL resume: 1994 second-round pick had 574 career return yards between 1994-98.
Malcom Brown, Savio (Austin, Texas)
NFL resume: Two-time Super Bowl champion tallied 304 tackles and 13.5 sacks from 2015-21.
NFL resume: Ran for 2,144 yards and six touchdowns between 1999-2006.
D.J. Campbell, Centennial (Las Vegas, Nev.)
NFL resume: Played nine games at defensive back in 2012 and 2013.
John Carlson, Gilbert Christian (Gilbert, Ariz.)
NFL resume: Caught 210 passes for 2,256 yards and 15 touchdowns between 2008-14. Had two receiving touchdowns for Seattle in the Beast Quake playoff game between the Seahawks and Saints during the 2011 NFL playoffs.
Kirk Chambers, Provo (Utah)
NFL resume: Played 70 games at tackle from 2004-11.
Scott Chandler, Liberty (North Liberty, Iowa)
NFL resume: Hauled in 205 receptions for 2,379 yards and 21 touchdowns between 2007-15.
NFL resume: Went for 29 receptions, 528 yards and two touchdowns over 44 games from 2015-18.
Mike Cofer, Sports Leadership & Management (Henderson, Nev.)
NFL resume: Made 133 field goals between 1987-1995. The 1989 All-Pro knocked through 12 career playoff field goals and was a two-time Super Bowl champion.
NFL resume: Played in one game with the Packers in 2018.
Rashard Cook, Mater Dei Catholic (Chula Vista, Calif.)
NFL resume: Had 57 tackles, three sacks and two interceptions over 47 games from 1999-2002. Sent the Eagles to the 2002 NFC Championship with an interception late in the fourth quarter of the Divisional Round.
Josh Cooper, Hinton (Okla.)
NFL resume: Had 17 receptions for the Browns in 2012 and 2013.
NFL resume: Had 8.5 sacks and 199 tackles between 2012-16.
NFL resume: Played 26 games with the Chargers in 1999 and 2000 where he hauled in 13 receptions.
NFL resume: Ranks No. 9 all-time with 441 career field goals made in a career that spanned from 1999-2018. The 2012 Pro Bowler was a perfect 9-9 in playoff field goals.
NFL resume: Threw for 1,944 yards and 10 touchdowns over 103 games from 1998-2006.
NFL resume: The 1990 Heisman Trophy winner passed for 6,351 yards and 34 touchdowns in the NFL between 1992-2005.
NFL resume: Had 274 tackles, six interceptions and 2.5 sacks from 1986-96. Picked off Randall Cunningham in the fourth quarter of the 1988 Divisional Round to seal a Bears victory.
NFL resume: Caught 91 passes for 1,264 yards and four touchdowns between 1995-2001. Made the final plays in both Cleveland Municipal Stadium and the Houston Astrodome.
NFL resume: The first-round pick out of Georgia rushed for 1,115 yards as a rookie with the Patriots in 1998. He reached the Pro Bowl that season where he sustained a career-altering injury in a flag football game. He only had 20 carries the rest of his career and those didn't come until 2002.
NFL resume: Played in six games with the 2003 Falcons.
NFL resume: Played 18 career games at tight end during the 2012 and 2013 seasons.
NFL resume: Had 265 tackles, two sacks and two interceptions with the Bills between 2006-10. His interceptions were against Joey Harrington and Eli Manning.
NFL resume: Played one game with the Saints during the 2017 season.
NFL resume: Had eight tackles over four games with the 2007 Ravens.
NFL resume: Appeared in six games at guard between 2006-08.
Joe Germaine, ALA-Mesa North (Mesa, Ariz.)
NFL resume: Super Bowl XXXIV champion. Threw for 136 yards and one touchdown as a backup quarterback from 1999-2002.
NFL resume: Had 224 tackles and seven sacks with Washington from 2006-16.
NFL resume: Played one game with the Jets in 2001.
NFL resume: Is No. 8 all-time with 447 career field goals made. The 2006 Pro Bowler attempted 29 career playoff field goals and made them all, including three in Super Bowls.
NFL resume: Rushed for 2,047 yards and 15 touchdowns with Tampa Bay from 2004-11.
Jeff Graham, Trotwood-Madison (Trotwood, Ohio)
NFL resume: Caught 542 passes for 8,172 yards and 30 touchdowns between 1991-2001. Graham had 27 career games with at least 100 receiving yards.
NFL resume: Snagged 61 receptions for 794 yards and four touchdowns at wide receiver from 2012-15.
Doran Grant, St. Vincent-St. Mary (Akron, Ohio)
NFL resume: A national champion with Ohio State, Grant played in three games with the 2015 Steelers.
NFL resume: A national champion at Florida in 1996, Green caught 162 passes for 2,311 yards and seven touchdowns in NFL from 1998-2002.
Chris Greisen, West De Pere (De Pere, Wis.)
NFL resume: Backup quarterback appeared in five games with the Cardinals in 1999 and 2000, throwing for 69 yards and a touchdown.
Jordan Gross, Fruitland (Idaho)
NFL resume: A three-time Pro Bowler and No. 8 pick in the 2003 NFL Draft, Gross started 167 regular games at tackle from 2003-13. The Idaho native also started nine career playoff games, including Super Bowl XXXVIII with the Panthers.
NFL resume: Played in 54 games between 1996-2001 and had three career interceptions, one of which was against Dan Marino.
NFL resume: Played in six games with the Bills between 2009-10. Had two career interceptions, one against Peyton Manning.
NFL resume: Had 267 tackles and five interceptions from 2016-23.
NFL resume: Between 2002-09, Hart intercepted 10 passes, including throws by Peyton Manning and Tom Brady.
NFL resume: Played in 12 games between 2002-07 and passed for five touchdowns and 1,012 career yards.
NFL resume: Recorded 60 receptions for 887 yards and six touchdowns in the regular season between 1997 and 2003. In the playoffs he caught two touchdowns, including one in the 1999 NFC Championship.
NFL resume: Had nine interceptions from 2015-24 before taking over his alma mater this season. Notable interceptions include Matthew Stafford, Russell Wilson, Kyler Murray and Josh Allen.
NFL resume: Had 26 tackles and two sacks during 2013 season with Cowboys.
NFL resume: Played in eight games with the Vikings in 2001.
NFL resume: Played defensive back for 23 games with the Vikings in 2005 and 2006.
NFL resume: Had 284 career catches for 3,641 yards and 24 touchdowns between 1994-2002. Had three receiving touchdowns on Dec. 30, 2000 with New Orleans as the Saints knocked off the defending champion Rams in the Wild Card playoffs.
NFL resume: Had nine tackles in 23 games during the 2003 and 2004 seasons.
NFL resume: Played in 29 games with three sacks between 2002-04.
NFL resume: Sacked the quarterback 8.5 times from 2010-17 with six coming during the 2014 season.
NFL resume: Had two sacks over 26 games between 2005-09.
NFL resume: The 2013 first-round pick had six sacks and two interceptions in four years with the Steelers.
NFL resume: The 1991 national champion at Washington was a 1995 first-round pick and rushed for 4,792 yards and 12 touchdowns until his career ended in 2000.
NFL resume: The Seahawks seventh round pick was a backup for Seattle in 2002.
NFL resume: Had 38 sacks and forced 10 fumbles between 2004-14.
NFL resume: Played in 98 games at center from 2011-20.
NFL resume: Had 18 tackles and two sacks over 11 games for the Cardinals in 2003 before his career was cut short by injuries. In his final game, the season finale against Minnesota, King forced two fumbles and sacked Daunte Culpepper late in the third quarter to keep the Vikings out of the playoffs.
NFL resume: After going undrafted in the 1996 NFL Draft, the quarterback went on to pass for 29,745 yards and 169 touchdowns in a career that lasted until 2013.
NFL resume: Two-time Super Bowl champion played in 136 regular games on the offensive line from 2003-13. Had 15 more postseason starts.
NFL resume: The 1997 first round pick had 50 sacks in career that spanned until 2006.
NFL resume: Hauled in 263 receptions for 4,250 yards and 24 touchdowns between 1976-84. Even had one career interception, coming against Steve Bartkowski, the No. 1 overall pick of the 1975 NFL Draft.
NFL resume: Had 395 tackles, 17 interceptions and five sacks over career that spanned from 2008-16. Notable interceptions came against Carson Palmer, Brett Favre and Matt Ryan.
NFL resume: The 1999 Pro Bowler had 3,583 career kick return yards. Defensively, the former Miami Hurricane had one career interception, coming against John Elway in 1997.
NFL resume: Played in 11 games with the 2003 Broncos.
NFL resume: Played two games with the Saints in 2009.
NFL resume: Special teams star won two Super Bowls during his career that spanned from 2010-18.
NFL resume: Appeared in one game with the 2006 Packers.
NFL resume: The 2005 Pro Bowler had 2,122 career return yards between 2005-07 with the Texans.
NFL resume: Had 29.5 career sacks from 1996-2003. In the 1998 NFC Championship with the Packers, the defensive end had two sacks late in the fourth quarter to send Green Bay to Super Bowl XXXII.
NFL resume: The fullback had six total touchdowns over 88 games between 2002-09. In Super Bowl XLI he blocked for Thomas Jones, who had 112 rushing yards with the Bears.
NFL resume: Played five career games in 2012 and 2013.
NFL resume: Started 209 career games with the Jaguars between 2000-13.
NFL resume: Former LSU quarterback threw for 2,347 yards and 12 touchdowns in NFL from 2014-16.
NFL resume: Two-time Super Bowl champion had 592 regular season receptions for 6,569 yards and 45 touchdowns with the Steelers. The two-time Pro Bowler added an additional 49 catches for 587 yards and four touchdowns in the postseason.
NFL resume: Had 37 tackles with the Panthers across 30 games from 2000-02.
NFL resume: Played 56 career games on the offensive line between 1992-99. Won Super Bowl XXIX with the 49ers.
NFL resume: Had 12 interceptions and 10.5 sacks in career that lasted from 2009-18. Carson Palmer, Russell Wilson, Eli Manning and Matt Ryan were his marquee interceptions.
NFL resume: Five-time Pro Bowler had 1,586 career tackles from 1987-2002. During that time he also had 21 sacks and 12 interceptions. Added a postseason interception to his resume in 1999 against Kurt Warner in the NFC Championship game.
NFL resume: Made 182 career field goals between 2005-17.
NFL resume: Played in 24 games and caught four passes on the Ravens from 1997-99.
NFL resume: The Heisman Trophy winner and three-time Pro Bowler passed for 46,247 yards and 294 touchdowns between 2003-17.
NFL resume: Had 407 tackles and 26.5 sacks from 1993-2004. Added a sack in the 2003 AFC Championship game.
NFL resume: Had 23 receptions for 175 yards between 2002-06. Caught a pass from Donovan McNabb in the fourth quarter of Super Bowl XXXIX.
NFL resume: Passed for 17,823 yards and 102 touchdowns in career that spanned from 2000-2010. Finished second in the 2008 MVP voting after passing for 3,653 yards and leading the Dolphins to an 11-5 record.
NFL resume: Had 1,793 yards and 13 total touchdowns as a fullback between 1996-2004.
NFL resume: Threw for 1,161 yards and four touchdowns as a backup quarterback between 1998-2004.
NFL resume: Guard played in 16 games with the Ravens from 2004-05.
NFL resume: Five-time Pro Bowler won Super Bowl XXXI with the Packers after catching a 54-yard touchdown from Brett Favre. The wide receiver eclipsed 10,000 career receiving yards and reached the end zone 84 times in his career between 1989-2000.
NFL resume: Sits at No. 6 on the all-time leading passing list with 63,440 yards from 2004-20. The eight-time Pro Bowler was drafted fourth overall in 2004 and has 2,965 career playoff passing yards.
NFL resume: On Cowboys and 49ers active rosters in 2018 and 2019.
NFL resume: Played in two games with the 2006 Bears.
NFL resume: Caught 57 passes for 539 touchdowns and a touchdown in 2013 and 2014 with the Jaguars.
NFL resume: Record 117 receptions for 1,270 yards and 12 touchdowns between 2002-08.
NFL resume: Had 120 tackles and three sacks from 2003-09. Recorded four tackles during Super Bowl XLI with the Bears.
NFL resume: Played three games in 2014 and 2015.
NFL resume: Had 14 sacks in a career that spanned from 2010-15.
NFL resume: Super Bowl XLII champion. Started 88 regular season games and seven postseason contest for the New York Giants at guard between 2001-10.
NFL resume: Had 416 tackles and seven sacks between 2000-10. Won Super Bowl XLIV with the Saints.
NFL resume: Played in 119 career games from 2009-18 at either center or guard and was a member of the Packers Super Bowl XLV squad.
NFL resume: Played in eight games in 2013 and 2014.
NFL resume: Threw for 185 yards and two touchdowns as a backup quarterback from 2004-10.
NFL resume: Backup quarterback on the Jaguars in 2001.
NFL resume: Appeared in seven games for the Jets and Vikings in 1990 and 1991.
NFL resume: Third-round pick recorded 31 receptions for 330 yards and four touchdowns between 2015-17.
NFL resume: Caught 41 passes for 493 yards and two touchdowns from 2001-04.
NFL resume: Rushed for 149 yards and two touchdowns across 41 games from 2011-14.
NFL resume: Played eight games at guard for the Colts in 2010.
NFL resume: Had 261 tackles and nine interceptions after being drafted in the second round of the 2002 NFL Draft, until 2007. In 2004 he intercepted Brett Favre twice in the same game.
NFL resume: Intercepted two passes as a rookie in 2010 before injuries derailed his career.
NFL resume: Had 232 career tackles and 3.5 sacks in 120 games between 2007-16.
NFL resume: The linebacker had two interceptions, including one against Tony Romo in 2015, his lone NFL season due to injuries.
NFL resume: Had 29 tackles in 35 games from 1998-2002.
NFL resume: Punted 506 times between 1987-95. Broke a Super Bowl record by averaging 48.8 yards per punt in Super Bowl XXIX.
NFL resume: Defensive back played in four games for the 2003 Rams.
NFL resume: The 2010 first-round pick had eight sacks and 330 tackles between 2010-17.
NFL resume: Passed for 888 yards and three touchdowns from 2010-20.
NFL resume: Super Bowl LVI champion had 29 interceptions and 9.5 sacks in a career that spanned from 2007-21. The six-time Pro Bowlers intercepted Peyton Manning in the 2008 playoffs to send the Chargers to the AFC Championship game.
NFL resume: The Chargers sixth-round pick in 1992 had 4.5 sacks over 38 career games until 1995.
NFL resume: Had two tackles over five games with the 2011 Ravens.
NFL resume:
Started 100 games with the Jaguars on the offensive line from 2001-09.
Was on the line for five of Fred Taylor's 1,000-yard rushing seasons.
NFL resume: Super Bowl XXX champion as a rookie with the Cowboys. The second-round pick rushed for 1,162 yards and four touchdowns in his career.
NFL resume: Played in four games with the Bengals during the 2006 and 2007 seasons.
NFL resume: His 13,046 career receiving yards between 2003-20 are second most all-time for a tight end. The 11-time Pro Bowler topped 100 yards in a game 21 times in his career.
NFL resume: Guard played two games with the Raiders in 2003.
NFL resume: The 2004 first-round pick had seven catches for 160 yards and a touchdown in his lone NFL season.
NFL resume: Caught 27 passes for 321 yards from 1999-2001. The menace in the return game returned two punts for a touchdown as a rookie.
NFL resume: Had 126 tackles and three interceptions between 2008-12. His picks came against Aaron Rodgers, Daunte Culpepper and Ryan Fitzpatrick.
