Thomas Hammock facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Thomas Hammock

Hammock in 2021
Current position
Title	Head coach
Team	Northern Illinois
Conference	MAC
Record	32–38
Biographical details
Born	(1981-07-07) July 7, 1981 (age 44) Jersey City, New Jersey, U.S.
Playing career
1999–2002	Northern Illinois
Position(s)	Running back
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
2003–2004	Wisconsin (GA)
2005–2006	Northern Illinois (RB)
2007–2009	Minnesota (RB)
2010	Minnesota (co-OC/RB)
2011–2013	Wisconsin (AHC/RB)
2014–2018	Baltimore Ravens (RB)
2019–present	Northern Illinois
Head coaching record
Overall	32–38
Bowls	2–1
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
1 MAC (2021) 1 MAC West Division (2021) 1 Camellia Bowl (2023) 1 Famous Idaho Potato Bowl (2024)
Awards
MAC Coach of the Year (2021) 2x CoSIDA Academic All-American (2000, 2001)

Thomas Hammock, born on July 7, 1981, is a well-known American football coach. He is currently the head coach for the Northern Illinois University (NIU) football team. Before becoming head coach at NIU in 2019, he worked as a running backs coach. He coached for the Baltimore Ravens in the National Football League (NFL) from 2014 to 2018.

About Thomas Hammock

Thomas Hammock grew up in Jersey City, New Jersey. He was born on July 7, 1981. He went to Bishop Luers High School in Fort Wayne, Indiana. After high school, he attended Northern Illinois University (NIU).

He played as a running back for NIU from 1999 to 2002. Thomas earned his bachelor's degree in marketing from NIU in 2002. Later, he received a master's degree in educational leadership in 2004. This degree was from the University of Wisconsin–Madison. Thomas is married to Cheynnitha, who also went to NIU. They have a daughter named Tierra and a son named Thomas Douglas.

Playing Football at NIU

As a football player, Thomas Hammock was very good. He ran for 2,432 yards in 32 games for NIU. This makes him 13th all-time in rushing yards for the school. In his second and third years, he ran for over 1,000 yards each season. He was also named a first-team CoSIDA Academic All-American twice. This award recognizes both athletic and academic success.

A Health Challenge

At the start of his final year, Thomas had a great game. He ran for 172 yards, helping NIU win a close game. However, after this game, he felt tired and had trouble breathing. Doctors found out he had a heart condition. It is called hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Because of this, doctors told him it was best to stop playing football. In December 2002, Thomas announced he was retiring from playing. He still had one year of college eligibility left.

Coaching Career

Thomas Hammock started his coaching journey in 2003. He worked as a graduate assistant for the Wisconsin Badgers until 2004. The next year, he returned to NIU as the running backs coach. He worked with his former college coach, Joe Novak.

Coaching Running Backs

In his first year coaching running backs at NIU, he helped Garrett Wolfe. Garrett ran for 1,580 yards and 16 touchdowns. NIU won their division and played in the MAC Championship Game. From 2007 to 2010, Hammock coached for the Minnesota Golden Gophers. He was their running backs coach. In his last year there, he also became a co-offensive coordinator.

In 2011, Thomas Hammock joined the Wisconsin coaching staff. He coached amazing running backs like Montee Ball, James White, and Melvin Gordon. Together, these players ran for over 9,000 yards and scored 102 touchdowns. Montee Ball had an incredible season in 2011. He scored 39 touchdowns, breaking a record.

His success in college football led him to the NFL. In 2014, he became the running backs coach for the Baltimore Ravens. He worked there for five seasons.

Head Coach at Northern Illinois

On January 18, 2019, Thomas Hammock became the head football coach at NIU. This was a special moment, as it was his old university. In his first year, his team finished with 5 wins and 7 losses. They were tied for third in their division.

Challenges and Triumphs

His second season in 2020 was shorter due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Many players were new, which made the season even harder. The team did not win any games that year. However, this season helped many young players gain experience.

Before the 2021 season, many people thought NIU would finish last. But in their first game, they surprised everyone. They beat Georgia Tech, a much bigger team. The team, led by quarterback Rocky Lombardi, went on to win the conference championship. Coach Hammock was named the 2021 MAC Football Coach of the Year.

On November 9, 2021, Hammock signed a contract extension. This means he will coach NIU until at least the 2026 season. On September 7, 2024, Hammock's team made history. They defeated the fifth-ranked Notre Dame Fighting Irish. This was NIU's first win ever against a top-10 team. It was also the first time a MAC team beat a top-5 opponent.

Coaching Record