Former Eagles star wide receiver DeSean Jackson is taking on a new challenge as Delaware State’s head football coach, the school announced Friday.

Jackson, who is 38, spent 15 seasons in the NFL. That included two stints with the Eagles from 2008-13 and 2019-20. Jackson was named to the Pro Bowl three times and is third in Eagles history with 6,512 receiving yards.

But Jackson was unceremoniously released by former Eagles head coach Chip Kelly in the spring of 2014, coming off Jackson’s best season in the NFL when he had 82 receptions for 1,332 yards. He was signed right away by Washington, and spent the next three seasons there. Jackson had some of his best games against the Eagles during that time.

Jackson is taking over for Lee Hull, who was fired after compiling a 2-21 record, 0-10 in the MEAC in his two seasons. Jackson, who finished his NFL playing career with the Baltimore Ravens in 2022, spent this past season as wide receivers coach and punt return specialist for Woodrow Wilson High School in Long Beach, California.

But Jackson said in a statement released by Delaware State that he wanted to get into coaching at an HBCU.

“HBCUs have much to be proud of in creating a more representative America,” Jackson said. “But that story is not simply a historical one. It continues to be written and includes the elevation of HBCU scholars and scholar athletes in every field of human endeavor.

“The opportunity for me to help write another chapter here at DSU is a once-in-a-lifetime moment consistent with my journey as a young boy finding his way to manhood through mentorship, accountability, achievement, and discipline. If we build that kind of culture at Delaware State University, we will attract the right talent and radically change the trajectory of this program.

“I cannot wait to get started.”

Jackson joins a recent surge in former NFL stars beginning their coaching careers at HBCUs. That includes Jackson’s former quarterback with the Eagles in Michael Vick, who earlier this month became the head coach at fellow MEAC school Norfolk State.

For DSU, Jackson’s hire should excite a recruiting base in the Philadelphia-Delaware-Baltimore corridor while bringing a prominent name and attention to a Hornets program that has had just one winning season since a 10-2 record in 2007.

“DeSean Jackson is a perfect fit for our institution − incredibly competitive, optimistic about the prospects for our collective future, and focused on the fundamentals of the institution: students first,” new DSU athletic director Tony Tucker said in a statement.

Jackson continues to hold the record for most 60-plus and 80-plus yard catches in NFL history. In addition to the Eagles, Ravens and Washington, Jackson also played for the Los Angeles Rams, the Las Vegas Raiders, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.  

Jackson is originally from the Los Angeles area, and he got a ringing endorsement from his uncle, who happens to be Delaware State star receiver John Taylor, who teamed with Jerry Rice and Joe Montana on the San Francisco 49ers Super Bowl dynasty in the 1980s.

“Having played football for many different coaches throughout my career, each one has added a unique dynamic to my game. I’m excited to see the new direction Coach Jackson will take the team. His vision and leadership are sure to bring fresh energy and opportunities for growth,” Taylor said in a statement.

Jackson also got an endorsement from former Eagles coach Andy Reid, who drafted Jackson in the second round of 2008 out of Cal-Berkeley.

“DeSean is like a son to me − a fierce competitor on the field, without rival, and a quality leader off of it,” said Reid, now the Kansas City Chiefs’ coach. “I could not be more supportive of his desire to coach Division I football and would stake my career on his success at Delaware State University.

“We are bound at the hip and are forever family. I cannot wait to see where he takes the university and where the university takes him.  This is a win-win for everyone, particularly the young men that get to learn from him and the incredible staff he will assemble − many football aficionados who have been with him since the very beginning.”

Contact Martin Frank at mfrank@delawareonline.com. Follow on X @MFranknfl.

If you’re planning any holiday travel this weekend, make sure to factor in some extra time.

A new storm system loaded with moisture rolling up from the Gulf of Mexico is expected to bring heavy rain and potential flooding along the I-95 corridor, according to AccuWeather. Similar weather is predicted across the Southeast and Midwest.

The warm air will bring thunderstorms across most of Delaware between Friday and Sunday night, with the heaviest rain predicted to fall between Sunday afternoon and evening.

AccuWeather said poor visibility and possible flooding could lead to “substantial” travel delays. Meteorologists recommend shifting travel times to before or after the storm.

Also, temperatures will rise over the weekend, with highs in the 50s or above.

Former Eagles wide receiver DeSean Jackson is reportedly closing in on an agreement to become the next head coach at Delaware State University. 

Jackson, 38, had an on-campus interview, and the school and ex-NFL wideout are expected to “come together” soon,” ESPN reported Thursday.

It was also reported that coaching at a historically black college or university (HBCU) was a “dream” for Jackson. 

Jackson spent 15 years in the NFL with the Eagles, Washington, Rams, Raiders and Ravens, with his last season coming in 2022.

The three-time Pro Bowler does have coaching experience, serving as an assistant coach at Woodrow Wilson High School in his hometown of Long Beach, Calif. this year.

He is now getting close to taking over the football program at the HBCU that had just one win in 2024 and one win in 2023 after going 5-6 in 2022.

Now, the school will see if some of Jackson’s experience can rub off on the program. 

Jackson finished his NFL career with 641 catches, 11,263 yards and 66 total touchdowns.

That came after a memorable college career at Cal, where he recorded 2,423 yards and 23 total touchdowns, earning All-American nods in 2006 and 2007. 

The news about Jackson’s hiring came just days after former Eagles QB Michael Vick — and Jackson’s former teammate — was hired by Norfolk State to be its next coach. 

If Jackson’s deal goes through, he will run into a Vick-led Norfolk State next season in Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) play.

Vick said during a press conference that the new job would allow him to “serve young men in my community.”

“I understand the value of a HBCU,” Vick said at a press conference earlier this week. “The fact that it is in my hometown makes it even better.

“And so, it’s a great admiration for HBCUs, the NFL has numerous partnerships with HBCUs, so I think it shows that people care, you know, you’ve got these big time Division I programs where they’ve got all these amazing things, bells and whistles, money, and they tend to forget about the HBCUs and the schools that have the same type of prominence, and so, to start here, it wasn’t even by design.”