From 2004 to 2015, wide receiver Jerricho Cotchery was a key contributor to over a half-dozen playoff teams. But after nearly a decade of working as a coach, he’s finally getting a top job.
On Thursday, Cotchery was named the new head coach of Limestone University in Division II. He spent the last two seasons as the team’s assistant head coach and wide receivers coach under Mike Furrey, who is now the wide receivers coach at South Carolina.
In a statement, Limestone’s Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics Hailey Martin said that the school is excited to have Cotchery as their new head coach and praised him for both his coaching career and his playing career.
“We are extremely excited to have Jerricho as our new head football coach,” Martin said. “He is so well liked and respected by our student-athletes and coaches. From coaching with the Carolina Panthers to a remarkable 12-year NFL playing career with three different teams and a Super Bowl appearance, Jerricho has brought a wealth of knowledge to our program, and we are thrilled to have him guiding our Saints forward. We cannot say enough wonderful things about what Coach Furrey did for Limestone football and we wish him nothing but the very best as he enters the next chapter of his career.”
Cotchery spent his first seven NFL seasons with the New York Jets, recording 358 receptions for 4,514 yards and 18 touchdowns in 103 games. He had a career-high 1,130 yards for the team in 2007 and was a part of their back-to-back AFC Championship Game teams in 2009 and 2010.
Cotchery spent the 2011 to 2013 seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers and had a career-high 10 touchdowns in 2013. His final seasons were with the Carolina Panthers and in 2015 he got to play the final game of his NFL career in Super Bowl 50.