Jimmy Lake facts for kids

James Paul Lake (born December 17, 1976), known as Jimmy Lake, is an American football coach. He is currently a senior defensive assistant for the Los Angeles Rams in the National Football League (NFL). Before this, he was the head coach for the Washington Huskies college team from 2020 to 2021. Lake has coached at both the professional (NFL) and college levels, mostly working with defensive backs. He played college football as a strong safety at Eastern Washington from 1995 to 1998.

Growing Up and Playing Football

Jimmy Lake was born in Walnut Creek, California. His father was in the U.S. Air Force, so his family lived in many different places. This included living overseas in countries like Turkey and the Philippines.

Lake went to North Central High School in Spokane, Washington. He was a talented athlete, playing football, basketball, and baseball. He was also known as a great student.

After high school, Lake played college football at Eastern Washington University. He was a strong safety from 1995 to 1998. During his time there, he was recognized as a top player and was a team captain. He also earned a spot on the academic team for his good grades.

Jimmy Lake's Coaching Journey

After college, Lake started his coaching career in 2000. He returned to Eastern Washington as their defensive backs coach. He stayed there for several years, helping players improve their skills.

Early College and NFL Coaching

In 2004, Lake moved to the University of Washington in Seattle. This was a big step up to a higher level of college football. He continued to coach defensive backs there. After one season, he moved to Montana State University in Bozeman, Montana, for the 2005 season.

In 2006, Lake got a job in the National Football League (NFL) with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He worked as an assistant defensive backs coach. After two years, he joined the Detroit Lions in 2008 as their defensive backs coach. The 2008 season was a tough one for the Lions.

Lake then returned to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for the 2010 and 2011 seasons. He continued to coach defensive backs for the team.

Boise State and Return to Washington

From 2012 to 2013, Lake coached at Boise State University. He was the defensive backs coach and also helped with the team's passing game.

In 2014, Lake came back to the Washington Huskies as a defensive backs coach. This was his second time coaching at the school. He was promoted in 2016 to co-defensive coordinator, meaning he shared leadership of the defense. In 2019, he became the defensive coordinator, taking full charge of the defense.

On December 2, 2019, Jimmy Lake was named the new head coach for the Washington Huskies. He led the team for the 2020 and 2021 seasons. During his time as head coach, he was suspended by the university in November 2021. He then no longer coached the team.

Recent NFL Coaching Roles

On February 16, 2023, Lake was hired by the Los Angeles Rams in the NFL as an assistant head coach. He helped the team's main coach.

On January 29, 2024, Lake moved to the Atlanta Falcons to become their defensive coordinator. This meant he was in charge of the Falcons' defense. He worked with coach Raheem Morris, whom he had coached with before. On January 11, 2025, the Falcons announced that Lake was no longer their defensive coordinator.

On February 25, 2025, it was announced that Jimmy Lake would return to the Los Angeles Rams. He is now a senior defensive assistant for the team.

Head Coaching Record

Here is a summary of Jimmy Lake's record as a head coach in college football: