Delaware
Eagles great DeSean Jackson explains why he is taking over as Delaware State head coach
Eagles Saquon Barkley, Kenny Pickett: It’s hard replacing Jalen Hurts
Eagles RB Saquon Barkley and backup QB Kenny Pickett on what it was like without Jalen Hurts
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.
Delaware
Talk & Film Bring Delaware’s Revolutionary Story to Life at Archives’ First Saturday Program – State of Delaware News
On Saturday, July 11, 2026, at 10:30 a.m., the Delaware Public Archives will host a special First Saturday Program featuring a presentation and a screening of a new documentary exploring Delaware’s pivotal role in America’s founding.
The event will begin with a shortened presentation of Independence or the Bayonet, examining the critical days leading up to July 1776 through the perspectives of Caesar Rodney, George Read, and Thomas McKean.
Following the presentation, attendees will watch Caesar Rodney’s Ride: The Story of Delawareans and the Declaration of Independence, a new one-hour documentary presented by the Delaware Heritage Commission. The film explores Caesar Rodney’s legendary overnight ride to Philadelphia and the important role Delawareans played in the fight for American independence.
This special program is part of the Delaware Public Archives’ ongoing Delaware 250 educational programming commemorating the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence and highlighting Delaware’s unique contributions to the nation’s founding.
The program is free and open to the public.
For more information about the Delaware Public Archives or to learn more about upcoming events and programs, visit archives.delaware.gov.
Delaware
Coastal Delaware Restaurant Week raises funds for local first responders – Milford LIVE! – Local Delaware News, Kent and Sussex Counties
Dewey Beach Police Department: Kayla Burkentine, Kate Van Vorst, Caitlin Chaney, RBDBCC, Dewey Beach Police Chief Constance Speake, Meghan Hyett, Jeana Paratore, RBDBCC
Coastal Delaware Restaurant Week concluded its annual event by providing financial support to several local first responder organizations serving the Delaware beaches.
Organized by the Rehoboth-Dewey Chamber of Commerce in partnership with the Cape Gazette, the weeklong event was held June 7-12 and featured participating restaurants throughout the coastal region. As part of the initiative, participating restaurants helped generate donations that allowed organizers to present $1,500 each to Home of the Brave, the Rehoboth Beach Police Department, the Rehoboth Beach Volunteer Fire Company, the Dewey Beach Police Department and Tunnels to Towers Delmarva.
The annual event encourages residents and visitors to dine at participating restaurants while supporting local first responders.
Restaurants participating in this year’s Coastal Delaware Restaurant Week included Blue Moon, Bluecoast Rehoboth, Cafe Azafran, Cultured Pearl, Dewey Beer Company, DiFebo’s Rehoboth, Dogfish Head Brewings & Eats, Dogfish Head Chesapeake & Maine, Downtown Bethany Blues, Kiwis Kove, Lefty’s Alley & Eats, Lighthouse Dewey Beach, Lupo Italian Kitchen, Mason’s Famous Lobster Rolls, Outback Steakhouse, Shorebreak, Sirocco Food & Drink, Starboard Claw, The Blue Hen, The Federal, Theo’s Steaks Sides & Spirits, Thompson Island and Victoria’s.
Sara Uzer is a journalist from Sussex County with more than 15 years of experience as a writer, editor, and community advocate. She started her career in Washington, DC and has lived in Sussex County for the past five years.
Amendment passes after first vote fails
The legislation needed 28 of the 41 House members to vote yes, including one Republican. However, only 24 members voted in favor of the bill in the first House vote last month, with one Democrat voting no and one not voting. Most House Republicans did not vote. Bill sponsor state Rep. Claire Snyder-Hall, D-Rehoboth Beach, initially voted yes and then changed her vote to ‘no’ so it could be reconsidered.
When the bill was brought up again on June 30, 28 state representatives voted yes and 12 voted no.
State Rep. Madinah Wilson-Anton, D-Newark, said she did not vote the first time the bill was considered in the House because of concerns that not everyone’s marriages are recognized in Delaware. The lawmaker unsuccessfully pushed legislation last year aimed at recognizing first-cousin marriages on behalf of a constituent.
Wilson-Anton publicly apologized to people she said had reached out to her with hurt feelings over not voting and pledged to vote yes if it was brought up again. However, she has also called out the “racist and Islamophobic hate” directed toward her by people online.
“It’s been stormy, it’s been lonely and it’s been difficult, and I do it anyway, because it’s the right thing to do,” she said. “I think we really need to do a lot of self-reflection over this break before we come back next year and have honest discussions about how productive it is to snipe at each other over social media instead of taking issues directly to each other and our constituents in a more productive way.”
State Rep. Josué Ortega, D-West Wilmington, changed his vote from no to yes, saying that while his Catholic faith will always guide him, he needed to represent the wants of his constituents.
Most Republicans voted no, noting that gay marriage is already legal in Delaware. But Snyder-Hall said those protections can be removed with a simple majority vote in a way that adding it into the state’s constitution cannot.
“There’s a movement going to try to claw back protections that have been established in law for the LGBTQ+ community, and also racial equality,” she said. “Our constitution reflects our values and in Delaware we want to make sure that everybody knows that.”
Hockessin state Rep. Mike Smith was the lone Republican who voted to approve the measure. He said many of his constituents were on both sides of the issue.
“I did hear from a lot of members of my district [that] life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness directly affects them in this issue,” he said. “So you’ll be getting my support today.”
Constitutional amendments require a two-thirds vote in each chamber in consecutive legislative sessions. The legislation just completed its first leg. The second leg would have to be approved by the end of June 2028.
-
Sports3 minutes agoNew Jersey pro wrestling promotion bringing the fight to the beach
-
Technology6 minutes agoAre airline miles still worth it?
-
Business11 minutes agoWalmart’s EV chargers are coming to California with discounts for members
-
Entertainment18 minutes agoStill a Nico and Devo fan, Wes Anderson looks back on 30 years of musical moments
-
Lifestyle21 minutes agoIs it safe to eat from your garden after the Boyle Heights warehouse fire?
-
Politics26 minutes agoSeth Doane and Jim Axelrod among contenders for ’60 Minutes’ roles
-
Science33 minutes agoContributor: The crucial medical question that AI can’t ever answer
-
Sports36 minutes agoCommentary: Lionel Messi is the ultimate summer romance
