Carson Palmer will take over as head football coach at his alma mater, Santa Margarita Catholic High School in Orange County, California, and will formally announce the appointment on Friday.
Palmer, who will turn 45 later this month, played at Santa Margarita in the late 1990s and led the Eagles to consecutive CIF Southern Section titles. From there he signed up for USCwon the Heisman Trophy in 2002 and was the No. 1 pick in the 2003 NFL Draft by Cincinnati Bengals.
“Santa Margarita Football is excited to announce the hiring of former Eagle and Heisman Trophy winner Carson Palmer as our new head football coach,” the school wrote on social media.
“As head coach, Palmer intends to develop a program that emphasizes not only athletic performance, but also academic success and character development,” the school continued. “His vision includes creating a culture of hard work, discipline and perseverance that prepares student-athletes for both their athletic and academic futures.”
The Orange County Register reported that Palmer was a voluntary assistant coach for the school’s freshman team during the 2023 season. His son, Fletcher, was the team’s freshman quarterback.
The Los Angeles Times reports that Palmer’s first game at the helm of Santa Margarita in the 2025 season will be against neighboring Mission Viejo, coached by another former USC and NFL quarterback, Rob Johnson.
Palmer finished his NFL career with 46,247 yards, 294 touchdowns and 187 interceptions for a career completion percentage of 62.5. He was driving Arizona Cardinals to a 13-3 record and a berth in the NFC Championship Game during an MVP-caliber 2015 season. It was his furthest postseason distance.
This report uses field-level media information.
