- The Washington Times - Monday, November 11, 2024

Former NFL coach Jack Del Rio will part ways with the University of Wisconsin’s football team after he was arrested last week on a drunk driving charge.

Wisconsin coach Luke Fickell said during a Monday press conference that Del Rio will “resign and move on” after he allegedly drove his car into a stop sign and then through a fence before parking in someone’s yard in Madison.

Several reports said Del Rio showed “signs of impairment” after he was confronted by officers early Friday near the crash site.

Del Rio, 61, was charged with a first-time operating while intoxicated offense. He joined Wisconsin’s staff in August as a senior adviser.

“It’s a tough situation, decisions that all of us have to be able to take full responsibility for. So, that’s what Jackwill do and we’ll continue to move forward,” Fickell said at his Monday presser.  

The veteran NFL coach said in his own statement that he is “grateful to Coach Fickell and the University of Wisconsin for the opportunity to work with such a talented coaching and support staff and some of the best young football players in the country.”

“I have decided to step away from my position with the team, so they can focus all their attention on the remainder of the season,” Del Rio said

Del Rio was a linebacker at the University of Southern California and was drafted in 1985, launching an 11-year NFL playing career.

He bounced around the league when his coaching career began in 1997 and ultimately held the top job for the Jacksonville Jaguars from 2003-11.

Del Rio got another shot as a head coach when he oversaw the then-Oakland Raiders from 2015-17.

His last gig in the NFL was working as a defensive coordinator for the Washington Commanders from 2020-23.

• Matt Delaney can be reached at mdelaney@washingtontimes.com.

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