HBCU Head Coaches Who Were NFL Players And Won Black College National Championships

HBCU Legendary Coaches Who Won National Championship Before Sanders, Vick, And Jackson!

NFL to HBCU Head Coaches With National Championships / Credit: HBCU Legends

HOUSTON — The trend of former NFL players becoming coaches at HBCUs has increased in recent years, mainly since Coach Deion Sanders arrived at Jackson State University in September 2020. Ashley Robinson's one phone call created a seismic shift among our HBCU football programs. However, Coach Prime wasn't the first to make an impact as a head coach.

Deion Sanders may have disrupted the current system by developing a new blueprint for success in our social media-driven world. The fact that it works in branding, advertising, recruitment, and brand familiarity has brought us to this point.   

At the moment, our institutions of higher learning and athletic departments that need recognition and winning are turning to former professional players as the surrogate saviors of their black college football programs.

Jackson State Head Coach Deion Sanders is seen during their homecoming NCAA college football game against Campbell in Jackson, Miss., Saturday, Oct. 22, 2022. TCL JSU HOMECOMING 204 / Hannah Mattix/Clarion Ledger / USA TODAY NETWORK

The latest cast members of NFL-to-HBCU coaches to complement Sanders were Eddie George (Tenn. State), Cris Dishman (TX Southern), Eddie Robinson Jr (Alabama State), Bubba McDowell (Prairie View A&M-former), and the infamous short tenure of Ed Reed (Bethune-Cookman).  

Today, the HBCU football community welcomes former Philadelphia Eagles teammates Michael Vick (Norfolk State) and DeSean Jackson (Delaware State) into the ranks of head coaches.  

We must honor the legacy of the true pioneers. These men played in the National Football League and later entered HBCUs to lead their programs to win the Black College Football National Championships. These days, we coin them as the HBCU Football National Champions.

NFL to HBCU Head Coaches With National Championships / Credit: HBCU Legends

DOUG WILLIAMS

Leading off our conversation of noteworthy individuals is Douglas Lee Williams - we call him Doug. The HBCU legend and James "Shack" Harris continue to impact the careers of HBCU players, dreaming of an opportunity to play in the NFL with the HBCU Legacy Bowl and HBCU Combine.

The Super Bowl XXII MVP was named the head coach at Morehouse College in 1997. After just one season with the Maroon Tigers, he received a call from his beloved alma mater, Grambling State University, to succeed his mentor, the coaching legend Eddie G. Robinson.

Before Morehouse and Grambling State, Williams coached at his high school alma mater in Zachary, Louisiana for several seasons. He elevated his coaching at Navy as their running backs coach, joined the Claymores of the World League of American Football in 1995, and became an NFL scout with Jacksonville in 1995.

Here's the point. Williams gained his experience by understanding football and studying it as a coach. As a collegiate coach with Grambling State for two stints, Wiliams won Southwestern Athletic Conference titles, and the Tigers were crowned the Black College Football National Champions three times (2000, 2001, 2002).

Former Alabama State University head coach Reggie Barlow hugs his former coach at ASU Houston Markham during the Alabama State Black and Gold Game at Hornet Stadium on the ASU campus in Montgomery, Ala. on Saturday April 28, 2018. Asu25 / Mickey Welsh / Advertiser via Imagn Content Services, LLC

RECENT PROS TO COACHING HEROES

Reggie Barlow played for Alabama State and won national championships in 2011 and 2017. He spent eight seasons in the NFL as an outstanding wide receiver for Jacksonville, Oakland, and Tampa Bay. He won Super Bowl XXXVII with the Bucs and was the XFL Coach of the Year with the DC Defenders.

Sam Washington was with the Pittsburgh Steelers (1982-1985) and Cincinnati Bengals (1985) before becoming Bethune-Cookman's defensive backs coach in 1987. Washington won two national championships at North Carolina A&T as the 2018 and 2019 Celebration Bowl Champions.

Although Connell Maynor has no NFL pedigree, he played professionally with the Orlando Predators and Philadelphia Soul as a quarterback. As a head collegiate head coach, he won three Black College National championships in 2011, 2012 (WSSU), and 2020 (AAMU).

Jackson State's head coach, T.C. Taylor, won the 2024 HBCU Football National Championship after defeating South Carolina State 25-7. Taylor signed as an undrafted free agent contracts with the New England Patriots and Detroit Lions during the 2002 and 2003 seasons, but did not have a regular season game appearance. However, he did play professionally for the Frankfurt Galaxy and Amsterdam Admirals in 2003. Taylor earned a World Bowl XI ring with Frankfurt.

FAMU head coach Billy Joe drills his defense. T Billy Joe / Democrat file

BILLY JOE

Notwithstanding the recent accomplishments of Pros-To-HBCU Head Coaches like Washington, Barlow, and Williams, we cannot forget Billy Joe. He is often overlooked in certain circles. Still, he ruled black collegiate football for many a year.  

William Joe, aka Billy Joe, was the former AFL Rookie of the Year for the Denver Broncos in 1963. He played for Denver, Buffalo, Miami, and New York from 1963 to 1969 before becoming an assistant coach at the historic Cheyney University, an HBCU in Pennsylvania. Later, Joe became the Wolves' head coach in 1972 before returning to the pros as the Philadelphia Eagles running backs coach in 1979.   

Joe's coaching prowess skyrocketed in college football at Central State, where he won five straight Black College Football National Championships from 1986 to 1990. He gained another co-national championship at Florida A&M in 1998.

Pete Richardson / Credit: Southern University Athletics, Rodney Kirschner Deputy Athletics Director

PETE RICHARDSON AND OTHER NFLERS TO CHAMPIONS

Recent SWAC Hall of Fame inductee Pete Richardson played defensive back for the Buffalo Bills from 1969 to 1971. He won five Black College National Championships at Southern University (1993, 1995, 1997, 1998, and 2003).

Earl Banks, another legendary coach who won a championship, played professional football with the New York Yanks in 1950. He won his love Natty at Morgan State University in 1967.

Howard University's two Black College National Championships came under Coach Steve Wilson in 1993 and 1996. Wilson played professional football for the Dallas Cowboys (1979–1981) and Denver Broncos (1982–1988).  

Head coach Alvin Wyatt led Bethune-Cookman to a share of the 2002 championship with Grambling State. Wyatt had an NFL career with the Raiders, Bills, and Oilers from 1970 to 1973.

In 2007, Al Lavan coached Delaware State with a 10-2 record to be considered national champs. Lavan was a pro player and coach from 1969 to 2003 before becoming the Hornets' head coach in 2004.

Coach Mike White had NFL stints with Cincinnati and Seattle before joining Albany State. He became head coach in 2000 and guided the Golden Rams to the 2010 national championship.

I read a post stating the former Jackson State's national championship-winning head coach, Deion Sanders, set the "new standard" for NFL-to-HBCU coaches. It may not be the new standard for them because they overlooked the significance of the men mentioned before. Nonetheless, it has, is, and will always be to the one standard set by the trailblazers.

Jayden Daniels, Doug Williams, and Michael Vick / Credit: Doug Williams

Winning is not easy. But losing can become a habit. That's why they play the games. The faithful fans and alums of Norfolk State and Delaware State hope for abundant success for Michael Vick and Desean Jackson.   

Whereas they are the newest members of the HBCU football family, will they join Billy Joe, Doug Williams, Deion Sanders, Sam Washington, Reggie Barlow, and the others to one day be recognized as an HBCU Football National Champion?

We shall see.

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