Eagles great DeSean Jackson explains why he is taking over as Delaware State head coach

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.