Archbishop Stepinac's Mike O'Donnell Retiring After 37 Seasons As Head Coach: Report

The New York high school football coaching legend ends his coaching career having won 238 games and four state championships

Archbishop Stepinac football coach Mike O'Donnell runs a drill during the first day of football practice for the CHSAA at at Archbishop Stepinac in White Plains Aug. 16, 2023. / Frank Becerra Jr./The Journal News / USA TODAY NETWORK

After leading Archbishop Stepinac's football program for the last 37 years, legendary head coach Mike O'Donnell has decided the time has come to hang up the whistle.

According to GameDay One's Kevin Devaney Jr. via a post on X, the longtime Archbishop Stepinac head football coach is calling it a career after 238 victories and four NYCHSFL (New York Catholic High School Football League) AAA state championships.

Taking over the program, which finished with one win this past season, will be former assistant A.J. Magee, who becomes the seventh head football coach in Archbishop Stepinac's history. Magee, per the X post, had spent the last few years on the collegiate level as an assistant.

BREAKING: An end of era in Stepinac football. Hall of Fame head coach Mike O'Donnell is retiring after 37 seasons.

A.J. Magee, a former assistant in the program, will replace O'Donnell as Stepinac head coach. Magee spent the last few seasons coach in college, most recently at… pic.twitter.com/jmKzp7dTNw

— Kevin Devaney Jr. (@KDJmedia1) January 8, 2025

This past season had been the most difficult for O'Donnell's Crusaders as the program struggled through a 1-win campaign, with the only victory coming against Moore Catholic, 21-14. It was the first time since 2012 that a O'Connell-led Archbishop Stepinac team had been below the .500 mark.

It was just the fourth time since 2004 that the program had even been under .500 during his tenure. Facing off against many of New York top high school football programs, it was an overall tough 2024 season for O'Connell and Archbishop Stepinac.

O'Connell, who was just the sixth head coach in the 75-year existance of the football program, will remain at the school as the athletic director.

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