The former Eagles wide receiver will inherit a program that went 1–11 this year but has a history of producing NFL talent.
Once one of the biggest-name wide receivers in the NFL, DeSean Jackson will coach college football next fall at FCS program Delaware State.
“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,” Jackson said in a
statement from the university on Friday. “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.”
A historically black college, DSU plays in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC). The Hornets won the black college
national title in 2007 under former head coach Al Lavan.
Jackson played collegiately at the University of California, Berkeley, before his 15-year NFL career, primarily with the Philadelphia Eagles.
“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.”
Jackson, a second-round pick in 2008, appeared in
three Pro Bowls and was once named a second-team All-Pro. He tallied 641 receptions for 11,263 yards and 58 touchdowns while playing for six teams from 2008 to 2022 before he officially retired as an Eagle in 2023 with a one-day contract. He also played for the Baltimore Ravens, Las Vegas Raiders, Los Angeles Rams, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and the then-Washington Redskins.
Jackson will inherit a program that went
1–11 this year, but the Hornets have a history of producing NFL talent. The
list most notably includes former San Francisco 49ers wide receiver John Taylor, who won three Super Bowls from 1989 to 1995.
“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,” Hornets athletic director Tony Tucker said in a statement.
Lee Hull previously coached the Hornets before getting fired this year amid two losing seasons, but the program hasn’t produced a winning season since 2012, when the team went
6–5. While Jackson will be tasked with a big turnaround, two of his former NFL head coaches believe he can make that happen in their statements with the DSU release.
Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid, who coached Jackson in Philly from 2008 to 2012, called it a “win-win” for both sides and expressed confidence that Jackson will build an “incredible staff” to lead the team. Rams head coach Sean McVay, who coached Jackson in 2021, called him “a high-character leader of men” and “student of the game” who will change DSU.
