Jack Del Rio

Lore & Background

Del Rio began his coaching career as an assistant with the Saints in 1997. He then joined the Baltimore Ravens as a linebacker coach in 1999, where he was a part of their Super Bowl XXXV winning team. Following a single-season stint as Carolina Panthers defensive coordinator, Del Rio became head coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2003. He compiled a 68–71 record and two playoff appearances with them before being dismissed following the 2011 season. Del Rio served as Denver Broncos defensive coordinator for the next three seasons before becoming head coach of the Oakland Raiders in 2015. He compiled a 25–23 record with the Raiders before being fired after the 2017 season. He spent the next two years working as an NFL analyst for ESPN and as the defensive coordinator of the Washington Commanders from 2020 until being dismissed midway through the 2023 season.

In Their Own Story

The rain slicked the turf at EverBank Stadium, mirroring the intensity of the fourth quarter. Del Rio stood on the sideline, headset pressed tight against his ear, eyes scanning the field with the same predatory focus he had used two decades prior as a linebacker. He didn't need to shout; his presence commanded respect. As the offense lined up for the crucial third-down play, he saw the formation shift—a telltale sign of the play call he had studied for years. With a calm, decisive nod to his coordinators, he signaled the adjustment that would change the momentum of the game, proving that whether wearing pads or a headset, he knew exactly how to defend this city.

Reader's Guide

Del Rio was born in Castro Valley, California, to big bandleader Jack Del Rio Sr. and an Italian-American mother. He attended Hayward High School in Hayward, California, where he earned all-state honors in football, baseball, and basketball. He was selected by the Toronto Blue Jays in the 22nd round of the 1981 MLB draft but opted to accept a scholarship from USC to play both football and baseball. In football, Del Rio was a four-year starter, earning consensus All-American honors as a senior and being named co-MVP of the Rose Bowl. He was inducted into the USC Athletic Hall of Fame in 2015. In the NFL, Del Rio played for the Saints, Chiefs, Cowboys, Vikings, and Dolphins. He was selected to the 1995 Pro Bowl while with the Vikings. Del Rio never played for the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Did You Know?

• Del Rio was selected to the 1995 Pro Bowl while playing for the Minnesota Vikings, not the New Orleans Saints.
• Del Rio earned an undergraduate degree in political science from the University of Kansas while playing for the Kansas City Chiefs.
• Del Rio's first season as head coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2003 resulted in a 5–11 record, not a division title or playoff victory.
• Del Rio's Jaguars never reached an AFC Championship game; their best playoff run was a Divisional round loss in 2007.