Northern Colorado Athletics officially welcomed Ed McCaffrey as the head football coach on Friday afternoon. McCaffrey becomes the 16th head coach in program history. He comes to UNC after being the head coach at Valor Christian High School in Highlands Ranch, Colorado for the past two years.
“We are excited to welcome Ed McCaffrey, his wife Lisa and their family to Greeley and the Northern Colorado Family,” Director of Athletics Darren Dunn said. “There is no doubt that he is going to represent our football program well and lead our team to great success on and off the field. He’s been successful in everything he touches. His competitive spirit and drive are off the charts. He will be great for not only our football program but the university and Greeley and Northern Colorado communities.”
“I am excited to be joining the University of Northern Colorado as the Head Football Coach. I want to thank President Andy Feinstein and Director of Athletics Darren Dunn for the opportunity to be a part of the Bear Family and lead this football program,” McCaffrey said. “The University of Northern Colorado has a great reputation for both academics and athletics that attracts a diverse group of talented student athletes. I look forward to immersing myself into the Bears family and coaching young men to be champions on and off the field. Let’s bring championship football back to UNC!”
While at Valor Christian, McCaffrey led the Eagles to a 24-2 record winning the 5A state title in 2018 before making it to the quarterfinals in 2019.
McCaffrey brings a long list of accolades and football experience to Greeley. A 13-year NFL player, McCaffrey won three Super Bowls, two with the Denver Broncos and one with the San Francisco 49ers. Before being drafted by the New York Giants in the third round of the 1991 NFL Draft he was a first-team All-American at Stanford. McCaffrey’s best season in the NFL came in 1998 when he was a Pro Bowl selection and second-team All-Pro honoree. In that season he made 64 receptions for 1,053 yards and scored 10 touchdowns.
Upon retirement from the NFL, McCaffrey put work into his McCaffrey Family Foundation alongside his wife Lisa to assist children whose medical situation has created an academic or financial hardship.
In 2012 he became the color analyst for the Denver Broncos flagship station 850 KOA. He called games for five years before stepping down to become the head coach at Valor Christian High School in 2017.
McCaffrey and his wife Lisa have four sons Max, Christian, Dylan and Luke. All four have gone on to play football like their dad.
Christian was an All-American running back at Stanford, finishing as the runner-up for the Heisman Trophy in 2015. He’s now the starter and All-Pro running back for the Carolina Panthers. Max attended Duke University as a wide receiver and played in the NFL and is currently on the DC Defenders of the XFL roster Both Dylan and Luke are still in college and both quarterbacks. Dylan is currently a junior at Michigan. Luke is a freshman at Nebraska.
McCaffrey has agreed to five-year contract with a base salary of $190,000 a year.
What They are Saying About McCaffrey
University of Northern Colorado Board of Trustees Chairman
“It is a great day for UNC, and the Bear community, Ed McCaffrey checks every box, great football mind, proven leader, fierce competitor, and an incredible human being. We look forward to Eddie and his family being a part of our Bear Nation.”
Stanford Bradford M. Freeman Director of Football David Shaw
“Ed has always had a competitive drive to succeed. I saw it as his teammate at Stanford, and it won’t take long for the Bears to have that same drive to win.”
Ticket Information
Fans can now reserve their season tickets for the 2020 season with a $20 deposit today. Call the UNC Ticket office open Monday – Friday (10 am – 5 pm) at 970-351-4849. Or you can get them online starting Monday at 10 am at UNCBears.com/Tickets.
Northern Colorado Athletics is offering a special for GA season tickets in honor of Coach McCaffrey’s legendary run as number 87 for the Denver Broncos. Get two GA tickets for $87 for a limited time only. All ticket purchases may require additional fees.
To stay up to date on all things UNC football, visit UNCBears.com and follow the team on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
Reprinted from: https://uncbears.com/news/2019/12/13/northern-colorado-football-officially-introduces-ed-mccaffrey-as-head-coach.aspx