Former NFL player — and recent America's Got Talent contender — named Big Bend area coach
Two weeks after Russell Ellington announced that he was leaving Munroe for the head coaching gig at Gadsden County High School, the Bobcats have found their next head coach.
Munroe announced via Twitter that former NFL tight end and Florida High alumnus Michael Gaines is the program's new head football coach and that he has already started.
Gaines played his college career at UCF before spending six seasons in the NFL with the Carolina Panthers, Detroit Lions, Buffalo Bills, Chicago Bears, and Cleveland Browns. During his NFL career, he amounted to 84 career receptions for 869 yards and six touchdowns
"We are thrilled to announce Michael Gaines as our new head football coach," Robert F. Munroe School tweeted Thursday night. "He has already begun working with the team in preparation for the upcoming season. We look forward to the future success of our football program under his leadership. Welcome Coach Gaines!"
Post-NFL, he has been coaching for a little over a decade. Recently, he was featured on America's Got Talent in June with a 12-person vocal group. At Florida High, Gaines recorded 56 receptions, 1,715 receiving yards, and 20 touchdowns, earning all-state first-team honors and becoming the first player from Florida High to compete in the Florida-Georgia All-Star Game. In college, he was selected to compete in the Blue-Gray Game.
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More:Gadsden County in search of new head football coach following Winters' dismissal
The hiring of Gaines wraps up a whirlwind of coaching hires in Gadsden County, starting in November. Victor Winters parted ways with Gadsden County at the end of the regular season, going 2-8 in his only season as head coach. Ellington later accepted the job, leaving Munroe after one season, leading the Bobcats to their first regional title, first state semifinals appearance, and a 6-7 record.
In a calendar year, the Big Bend has gone through 10 coaching hires, with seven new head coaches leading their squads (Leon, Godby, FAMU DRS, Maclay, Gadsden County, Munroe, Madison County) this past fall. Ellington, Maclay head coach Jason Cauley and Madison County head coach Price Harris were the three first-year head coaches to make the playoffs.
Jack Williams covers prep sports for Tallahassee Democrat. Contact him via email at jwilliams@tallahassee.com or on Twitter @jackgwilliams.
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Michael Gaines, former NFL tight end, named Munroe head football coach
