Marcus Coleman facts for kids
Marcus Coleman, born May 24, 1974, is a former American football player. He played as a defensive back in the National Football League (NFL). His teams included the New York Jets, Houston Texans, and Dallas Cowboys. Before the NFL, he played college football for the Texas Tech Red Raiders.
After his playing career, Marcus became a coach. In 2018, he was the first head coach for the Tucson Sugar Skulls in the Indoor Football League (IFL). He had previously helped the Iowa Barnstormers win a championship as their defensive coordinator. Marcus and his wife, Lisa, live in Texas with their children, Nick, Gabriella, Jonathan, and grandson Jaidon.
| UTRGV Vaqueros | |||||||
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| Position: | Special teams coordinator Cornerbacks coach |
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| Personal information | |||||||
| Born: | May 24, 1974 Dallas, Texas, U.S. |
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| Height: | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) | ||||||
| Weight: | 209 lb (95 kg) | ||||||
| Career information | |||||||
| High school: | Lake Highlands (Dallas) | ||||||
| College: | Texas Tech | ||||||
| NFL Draft: | 1996 / Round: 5 / Pick: 133 | ||||||
| Expansion draft: | 2002 / Round: 1 / Pick: 7 | ||||||
| Career history | |||||||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||||||
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| Player stats at PFR | |||||||
Contents
Early Life and College Football
Marcus Coleman grew up in Dallas, Texas. He went to Lake Highlands High School. There, he was recognized for his skills in football as a safety. He also earned honors in track and field.
Playing for Texas Tech
Coleman received a scholarship to Texas Tech University. He started 36 games in a row for the Texas Tech Red Raiders. He was the first player to play a special position called "Raider." This position combined an outside linebacker and a strong safety.
He set a school record for career interception returns for touchdowns. He also set a school record for blocked kicks in one season. Marcus finished his college career with 256 tackles and 9 interceptions. He also blocked 6 kicks.
College Honors and Achievements
In 1995, Coleman was named an All-American. This means he was one of the best college football players in the country. In 2008, he was chosen for the All-Time Texas Tech football team.
He was inducted into the Texas Tech Athletics Hall of Fame in 2010. In 2017, he was also inducted into the Southwest Conference Hall of Fame. These honors show how important he was to his college team.
NFL Playing Career
Marcus Coleman was a talented player. He was drafted into the NFL in 1996. He played for three different teams during his professional career.
| Height | Weight | Arm length | Hand size | 40-yard dash | 10-yard split | 20-yard split | 20-yard shuttle | Vertical jump | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 ft 1+3⁄4 in (1.87 m) |
208 lb (94 kg) |
32+1⁄4 in (0.82 m) |
9+3⁄8 in (0.24 m) |
4.67 s | 1.61 s | 2.70 s | 4.26 s | 33.0 in (0.84 m) |
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| All values from NFL Combine | ||||||||||||
New York Jets (1996-2001)
The New York Jets picked Coleman in the fifth round of the 1996 NFL draft. As a rookie, he started four games as a cornerback. In 1997, his coach, Bill Parcells, moved him from safety to cornerback.
In 1999, Marcus had a great year. He became a starting cornerback. He made 64 tackles and led the team with 6 interceptions. He also broke up 24 passes, which was a lot.
The next year, he continued to play well. He had 4 interceptions, including a 98-yard touchdown return. This was one of the longest interception returns in Jets history at the time.
Houston Texans (2002-2005)
In 2002, the Houston Texans chose Coleman in the 2002 NFL Expansion Draft. He became their starting right cornerback. He had 90 tackles and led the league with 30 passes defensed.
In 2003, he had an amazing season. He led the team with 7 interceptions, which was a Texans record. This also tied him for fourth in the entire NFL. He even won the AFC Defensive Player of the Month award in September.
In 2004, he moved to free safety. He set another Texans record with a 102-yard interception return for a touchdown. This happened against the Kansas City Chiefs. He finished his time with the Texans in 2006.
Dallas Cowboys (2006)
In 2006, Coleman signed with the Dallas Cowboys. This reunited him with his former coach, Bill Parcells. He played in three games as a backup player. He finished his NFL career with 484 tackles, 25 interceptions, and 2 touchdowns.
Coaching Career
After his playing days, Marcus Coleman became a football coach. His first coaching job was in 2016. He coached defensive backs for the Tri-Cities Fever in the Indoor Football League.
In 2016, he became the defensive backs coach and defensive coordinator for the Iowa Barnstormers. He helped them win a championship. In 2018, he was named the first head coach of the Tucson Sugar Skulls.
He later became the head coach of the West Texas Warbirds in 2020. However, that season was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Marcus resigned from the Warbirds later that year. He is currently an assistant coach at Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas. He coaches the special teams and defensive backs.
