Jonathan Coachman facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Jonathan Coachman |
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Coachman in 2003
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| Birth name | Jonathan William Coachman |
| Born | August 12, 1973 McPherson, Kansas, U.S. |
| Spouse(s) |
Amy Coachman
(m. 1999) |
| Children | 2 |
| Professional wrestling career | |
| Ring name(s) | Jonathan Coachman The Coach |
| Billed height | 6 ft 3 in (191 cm) |
| Billed weight | 235 lb (107 kg) |
| Billed from | Fort Worth, Texas |
| Trained by | Chris Benoit Shane McMahon |
| Debut | December 23, 1999 |
| Retired | 2021 |
Jonathan William Coachman (born August 12, 1973), known as "The Coach", is an American sports analyst. He was also a well-known personality in professional wrestling.
Contents
Early Life and Interests
Before becoming famous in professional wrestling, Jonathan Coachman was a talented basketball player. He helped his high school team win two state championships in McPherson, Kansas. After high school, he continued playing basketball at McPherson College.
While in college, Coachman enjoyed many activities. He acted in theater plays and was the sports editor for his school newspaper. He also worked as a commentator for local football and basketball radio shows. Later, he became a sports reporter in Wichita, Kansas. He even reported for Larry King Live about a wrestling event in 1999.
Professional Wrestling Career
Jonathan Coachman is best known for his time in World Wrestling Entertainment. He worked in many different roles, from interviewing wrestlers to being a commentator and even a manager.
Starting in WWE (1999–2003)
Coachman began his career with the World Wrestling Federation (WWF), which later became WWE, in late 1999. He started as an interviewer and commentator on shows like SmackDown!. He often had funny moments with famous wrestlers like The Rock, who would sometimes make Coachman sing or dance.
In 2001, Coachman also worked as a reporter for the XFL, a football league owned by the WWF.
Commentator and Assistant (2003–2006)
In 2003, Coachman changed his on-screen character to a "heel," meaning he acted like a bad guy. He became the assistant to Raw General Manager Eric Bischoff. Coachman often worked with Al Snow as a commentary team. They even had a storyline where they competed against the regular Raw announcers, Jerry Lawler and Jim Ross.
Coachman also hosted the "Raw Diva Searches" in 2004 and 2005, which were contests to find new female WWE stars. He became a regular member of the Raw commentary team in 2005.
Big Matches and Changes
In 2005, Coachman was part of a big storyline where Jim Ross was fired. This led to Coachman becoming the lead announcer on Raw. He was supposed to face Steve Austin in a match, but the opponent changed to Batista. Batista won the match, even though Coachman had help from other wrestlers.
Later, Joey Styles took over as the main announcer, but Coachman remained a key part of the Raw commentary team. In 2006, Coachman even competed in the Royal Rumble match, a big wrestling event where many wrestlers try to eliminate each other.
Executive Assistant and Interim General Manager (2006–2007)
Coachman took on new roles in WWE, becoming Mr. McMahon's Executive Assistant. This meant he helped McMahon run the Raw show. He even acted as the General Manager when the McMahons were not there. During this time, he was involved in storylines with popular groups like D-Generation X and wrestlers like John Cena.
In June 2007, Coachman was named the temporary General Manager of Raw. He held this position until William Regal became the new General Manager. Coachman then became Regal's assistant. He briefly took over as interim General Manager again when Regal was unable to perform his duties.
Rivalry with Hornswoggle
In late 2007, Coachman had a funny rivalry with Hornswoggle, a smaller wrestler. They had a "No DQ Handicap match" where Hornswoggle, with help from the APA, defeated Coachman. Their rivalry continued with Coachman trying to catch Hornswoggle backstage, leading to a humorous moment where Coachman tried to use a detonator, but Hornswoggle tricked him.
SmackDown Commentator and Departure (2008)
In 2008, Coachman moved to SmackDown! to be a commentator alongside Michael Cole. His contract with WWE ended later that year, and he decided to leave.
Return to WWE (2016–2021)
Coachman made special appearances for WWE starting in 2016. He returned to WWE television in 2018 as a commentator for Raw, joining Michael Cole and Corey Graves. He replaced Booker T in this role.
In September 2018, Coachman moved from the Raw commentary team to become the host of the pre-show panels for WWE's big pay-per-view events. He also hosted the pregame show for the 2020 XFL season. Coachman left WWE and the XFL in 2021.
Sports Broadcasting Career
ESPN (2008–2017)
After leaving WWE in 2008, Jonathan Coachman began a new career with ESPN, a major sports television network. He became an anchor for SportsCenter, one of ESPN's most popular shows. From 2015, he also presented WWE highlights and interviewed WWE wrestlers on SportsCenter. He left ESPN in 2017.
Other Sports Roles
Coachman has continued his career in sports broadcasting. In 2018, he became a play-by-play announcer for the World Long Drive Championship, a golf event. He also works as a commentator for PGA Tour Live, which covers golf tournaments.
As of 2021, Coachman was working for CBS Sports. He is also an analyst for the Professional Fighters League, which is a mixed martial arts organization.
Personal Life
Jonathan Coachman has two children with his ex-wife, Amy. Amy was also a college athlete and works as a personal trainer.
Other Media Appearances
Besides his work in WWE and ESPN, Coachman has called various sports events for other networks, including college football, basketball, baseball, and softball. He also worked as a play-by-play announcer for the WNBA's New York Liberty basketball team.
In 2012, he hosted Coach & Company, a national radio show on ESPN Radio. Coachman has also lent his voice to several video games, including Madden NFL 19, Madden NFL 20, Madden NFL 21, and Madden 24.
Awards and Recognition
- Wrestling Observer Newsletter awards
- Worst Television Announcer (2003, 2005, 2018)
See also
In Spanish: Jonathan Coachman para niños
