The last time a former NFL quarterback-turned-ESPN analyst took a head coaching job at a high school in Nashville, it led to a college football gig.
We don’t know if Tim Hasselbeck is looking to follow in Trent Dilfer’s shoes exactly, but he’s officially put himself on the same path.
Hasselbeck, who has worked for ESPN since 2008, was named the head football coach at The Ensworth School in Nashville on Friday.
“I am deeply thankful and honored for this opportunity to lead the Ensworth football program,” Hasselbeck said in a release. “Our family has been part of the Ensworth community for nearly a decade, and this Ensworth community has been like family to us. Our football team, as students of Ensworth, will carry the mission to pursue integrity and excellence on the field, in the classroom, and as contributors to the city of Nashville.”
The former NFL quarterback has roots with the school, having worked as a coach for its middle school football program for four years. His daughter currently attends the school as well.
Hasselbeck will be replacing Roc Batten, who resigned following the 2023 season. Batten went 32-22 in five seasons with the Tigers, including four playoff berths.
A two-year starting quarterback at Boston College, Hasselbeck spent six seasons in the NFL, playing sparingly for the Eagles, Commanders, Giants, and Cardinals. He joined ESPN in 2008 and worked alongside his brother, former NFL quarterback and ESPN NFL analyst Matt Hasselbeck. He performed various roles for the network, including NFL post-game analysis on SportsCenter with Scott Van Pelt.
Hasselbeck, who has been the game analyst for ACC Primetime Football since ACC Network launched in 2019, will be wrapping up his work with them with Friday’s Union Home Mortgage Gasparilla Bowl and the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl on Friday, Dec. 29. An ESPN rep told Awful Announcing that Hasselbeck will continue to do some NFL studio work with the company.
Hasselbeck continues the recent tradition of former NFL players and ESPN talent coaching Nashville-area high school football. Trent Dilfer took over as head coach at Lipscomb Academy in 2019 and parlayed that into the head coaching gig at UAB. Dilfer was replaced at Lipscomb by Pro Football Hall of Famer Kevin Mawae. Other former NFL players now coaching in the area include Christ Presbyterian Academy’s Ingle Martin, Davidson Academy’s Jonathan Quinn, and Franklin Road Academy’s Justin Geisinger.
