Long Beach (CA) Jordan football hires Rashaad Penny as head coach

© Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

According to a report by the The562.com, Long Beach (CA) Jordan High School has hired former NFL running back Rashaad Penny as their next head football coach.

[ $19.99 gets you a FULL year of On3 | Rivals national coverage ]

“We’re beyond excited to have Coach Penny taking over the program,” Jordan athletic director Josh Dozier said in the report. “The career accolades are obvious: San Diego State legend, Norwalk legend, an amazing NFL career. But we’re more excited about who he is as a person, who he is off the field: a mentor, and a role model for our students, especially as student-athletes. I think he just exemplifies that to a T.”

Penny played in the NFL as recently as the 2023 season and as a first round pick (No. 27) in the 2018 draft by the Seattle Seahawks, had high expectations coming out of San Diego State.

During the short course of his career, Penny rushed for 1,951 yards on 348 carries and scored 13 touchdowns.

As a senior for the Aztecs during his college days in 2017, Penny rushed for 2,248 yards, good enough for sixth best all-time in the collegiate record books. That very same year, Penny finished fifth in the Heisman Trophy voting.

Now Penny is being tasked to turnaround a Jordan football program that has gone 5-15 over the last two seasons.

“Oh, heck yeah. Especially going back into the area, coming back home,” Penny said in the The562.com report. “Just seeing my little nephews, and my little cousins that played in that area, it’s kind of a no-brainer. It’s always been something I wanted to do.”

The Panthers ended this past season with a 1-8 record and finished ranked No. 574 in the final 2025 California High School Football Massey Rankings.