Former Washington Coach Resigning After Arrest, Car Crash

Former Washington Commanders coach Jack Del Rio has resigned from the Wisconsin Badgers staff following his recent arrest and involvement in a car crash.

Darius Hayes | Nov 12, 2024

Nov 19, 2023; Landover, Maryland, USA; Washington Commanders defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio before the game against the New York Giants at FedExField. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-Imagn Images / Brad Mills-Imagn Images

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Former Washington Commanders defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio stepped down from his role on the Wisconsin Badgers coaching staff after he was arrested near campus for operating a vehicle while intoxicated last week.

The 61-year-old was arrested in Madison, Wisconsin, early Friday morning after a vehicle he was driving struck a street sign and broke a fence before stopping in a yard, ESPN reported, citing an incident report.

Police said Del Rio "showed signs of impairment" and admitted to being behind the wheel, according to the report. He was arrested on first-time OWI and released from police custody.

Sep 25, 2022; Landover, Maryland, USA; Washington Commanders defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio (M) stands on the field during warmup prior to the Commanders' game against the Philadelphia Eagles at FedExField. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images / Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

Del Rio in August joined the Wisconsin Badgers staff as a senior adviser to head coach Luke Fickell.

"I'm grateful to coach Fickell and the University of Wisconsin for the opportunity to work with such a talented coaching and support staff and some of the best young football players in the country," Del Rio said in a statement Monday. "I have decided to step away from my position with the team, so they can focus all their attention on the remainder of the season."

Luke Fickell opened his Monday press conference with a statement on the situation.

“He’s going to move forward and he’s going to resign and move on,” Fickell said. “It’s a tough situation. Decisions that all of us have to be able to take full responsibility for. So that’s what Jack will do, and we’ll continue to move forward.”

The 61-year-old Del Rio came to Wisconsin after spending the last four years as the Washington Commanders defensive coordinator. He was fired 12 games into the 2023 season.

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