USC Legend Carson Palmer Lands High School Head Coaching Job
It's been seven years since former Heisman Trophy winner and Pro Bowl quarterback Carson Palmer played his final down in the NFL. But after years of personal business ventures and media jobs, Palmer seems ready to give coaching a try at some familiar stomping grounds.
According to the Los Angeles Times, Palmer has been named the new head coach of the Santa Margarita Catholic High School varsity football team. Santa Margarita Catholic is Palmer's high school alma mater and he had been working there as a volunteer coach for the freshman team that his son Fletch was starting for.
Santa Margarita is no small high school in the middle of nowhere though. It competes in the prestigious Trinity League along with a number of other high schools that have churned out top college and even NFL prospects with some regularity.
But the Eagles have plenty of their own prestige. Santa Margarita has a slew of famous alumni who have gone on to do great things in sports and beyond, including NBA champion Klay Thompson, U.S. soccer gold medalist Amy Rodriguez, Olympic swimmer Katie McLaughlin and former FSU quarterback Chris Rix.
Palmer himself was a legend at Santa Margarita Catholic and parlayed his phenomenal success there into five remarkable years at USC. But his best by far was his 2002 season under Pete Carroll.
GLENDALE, ARIZONA - SEPTEMBER 29: Former Arizona Cardinals quarterback Carson Palmer speaks during his induction into the team's Ring of Honor during halftime of the NFL football game between the Arizona Cardinals and Seattle Seahawks at State Farm Stadium on September 29, 2019 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Ralph Freso/Getty Images)
In 2002, Palmer led the Trojans to an 11-2 record, culminating in their Orange Bowl win over Iowa and what was effectively the restoration of the USC football program. Palmer won the Heisman Trophy that year and went on to go No. 1 overall to the Cincinnati Bengals in the 2003 NFL Draft.
Palmer's NFL career had plenty of peaks and valleys. After an underwhelming first two seasons, he led the Bengals to their first playoff appearance in over a decade in 2005, making the Pro Bowl in 2005 and 2006. But injuries and inconsistency on the field led to the team letting him go after seven seasons and he played the 2011 and 2012 seasons with the Oakland Raiders before finishing his career with the Arizona Cardinals.
