Delaware State will hire DeSean Jackson as football coach

Delaware State is finalizing a deal to hire former Eagles wide receiver DeSean Jackson as the school’s football coach, according to multiple reports. The news was first reported by Victory Formation Media.

The hire is expected to be announced in the coming days after the 38-year-old visited campus recently for interviews. According to ESPN, Jackson has always wanted to coach at a Historically Black College or University (HBCU).

The Hornets, who compete in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, finished 1-11 this season. On December 3, Delaware State announced that they would be parting ways with Lee Hull after two seasons. The Vineland native finished with a 2-21 overall record at the helm.

Jackson, a three-time Pro Bowler who became the first player in NFL history to earn Pro Bowl honors at two positions (wide receiver and kick returner), spent 15 seasons in the NFL. He was drafted by the Eagles in 2008 and played six seasons in Philadelphia, blossoming into a star. After stints with Washington and Tampa Bay, Jackson was traded back to the Eagles in 2019.

He finished his career with the Los Angeles Rams, Las Vegas Raiders and Baltimore Ravens, playing one season with each team. In 2023, he announced his retirement as a member of the Eagles, with whom he ranks third all-time in receiving yards (6,512) and sixth in receptions (379). Jackson is also tied for the franchise’s all-time lead in punt return touchdowns (4).

The Los Angeles native, who played college ball at the University of California, Berkeley, was hired by Woodrow Wilson High School in Long Beach in April as its wide receivers coach and punt return specialist.

If Jackson is hired by DSU as expected, he would become only the latest former NFL star to join the coaching ranks. Fellow MEAC school Norfolk State hired Jackson’s former Eagles teammate Michael Vick last week as its new head coach.