USC Football Milestone Birthday

It’s not every day you get to celebrate a milestone birthday. However, for a former USC All-American, yesterday was that big special day.

Jack Del Rio was born on April 4, 1963, in Castro Valley, California. He was a special athlete in high school. He played three sports (football, baseball, and basketball) at Hayward High School in Hayward, CA. This is where he developed his skills and earned All-State Honors while winning a 2A State championship in football.

Del Rio quickly made a name for himself at the University of Southern California. He was a four-year starting linebacker. Named to three All-Pac 10 teams and was selected to be a two-time All-American in 1983 and 1984. He ended up with 340 tackles and 58 tackles for loss in his collegiate career.

He was selected in the 3rd round with the 68th pick of the 1985 NFL Draft by the New Orleans Saints. He would end up playing for 11 seasons with 4 teams including the Kansas City Chiefs, Dallas Cowboys, and the Minnesota Vikings. (He also served as a practice squad member in 1996 with the Miami Dolphins.)

After he retired from playing, Jack would go on to coach as an assistant with the Saints, Ravens, and Panthers. He finally got the opportunity to be a Head Coach in 2003 with the Jacksonville Jaguars. He coached this organization to a record o 68-71 through eight and a half seasons. He was quickly hired by the Denver Broncos in 2012 as a Defensive Coordinator and even won a Super Bowl during his three-year stint.

Del Rio would have one more opportunity to be a Head Coach when the Oakland Raiders called in 2015. He finished with a 25-23 overall record in three seasons. Now, he has been working as a Defensive Coordinator for the Washington Commanders since 2020.

Jack Del Rio is a Super Bowl champion as a coach and an All-American player. He was selected to the USC Athletic Hall of Fame in 2014. Here’s to you and hope you had a great 60th birthday.

Fight On!