Former Super Bowl Champ Reggie Barlow Returns To HBCU Roots As New Football Coach At Tennessee State University

Barlow recently coached in the UFL's D.C. Defenders, where he earned Coach of the Year in 2023.

NFL Super Bowl Champion Reggie Barlow will return to his HBCU roots to coach football at Tennessee State University.

Barlow was recently announced as TSU’s 23rd head football coach. He will take over the position from Eddie George, who led the Tigers to their first playoff appearance in over a decade.

Before this newly appointed role, the former NFL player coached the DC Defenders of the United Football League. Barlow shared the news at a media conference in Nashville, promising fans and the HBCU community that a new era has begun.

“This is a beginning of a new Tennessee State Day,” he said, as reported by HBCU Gameday. “God has given us this day to use as we will… and we’re going to use it to move forward.”

Barlow first made history at Alabama State University, where the receiver caught 58 passes for 1,267 yards his senior year. This performance made him a fourth-round pick in the 1996 NFL draft. He played for the Jacksonville Jaguars for four years, still ranking as a career leader for the franchise’s most punt returns. In 2002, he began his two-year stint with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, securing a championship ring during Super Bowl 37.

He hopes to acquire new assets to the roster and coaching staff at TSU for another championship run. Moreover, he wants the football team to showcase their support for the HBCU’s athletic program.

He added, “We’re going to recruit. We’re going to get good players, good coaches. We’re going to support all sports. You’ll see the football team at volleyball games, basketball games—we’re part of the whole TSU experience.”

Barlow has also coached at other HBCUs, including his alma mater, Alabama State. TSU’s Athletic Director, Dr. Mikki Allen, shared that Barlow’s vision for the program made him the best choice for the open role.

“Reggie Barlow brings a wealth of experience and proven track record of success across all levels of football. I am confident that he will continue building upon the strong foundation and momentum that TSU football has gained in recent years, driving this storied program toward sustained success and championship contention for years to come,” said Allen in TSU’s press release.

Barlow will begin his new tenure as he prepares to make history at a new HBCU.

“I’m humbled, blessed, and beyond excited! A huge thank you to Director of Athletics Dr. Mikki Allen, President Tucker, and the student-athletes who’ve remained committed through uncertainty. And to Big Blue, I’m ready to get started! So, let me ask you…Do you like football?”