Jim Jeffcoat
Encyclopedia
James Wilson Jeffcoat, Jr. (born April 1, 1961 in Long Branch, New Jersey
) is a former American football
defensive lineman who played fifteen seasons in the National Football League
. From 2008 to 2010 he served as defensive line coach for the Houston Cougars football
team. He is currently the defensive line coach for the San Jose State Spartans football team.
at Matawan Regional High School
in Aberdeen Township, New Jersey
. where he earned All-America
football honors while also lettering in wrestling.
Jeffcoat was a three-year starter at Arizona State University
from 1980-82.
In 1981 he earned honorable mention All--Pac-10 Conference accolades.
In 1982 he became the catalyst of the Sun Devils' No. 1 ranked Division 1-A defense (228.9 yards/game). He collected 95 tackles, four sacks, four pass deflections, and forced two fumbles during his senior season, where he earned All-Pac-10 Conference, Honorable Mention to the All-America
Associated Press
and Sporting News teams. He also played in the East–West Shrine Game and in the Senior Bowl
.
He was inducted into the Arizona State Hall of Fame on Oct. 22, 1994, and was arguably the best defensive linemen to wear a Sun Devil uniform, finishing with 20 career sacks.
Jeffcoat was also named to the Fiesta Bowl
Hall of Fame. He dominated in Arizona State's Fiesta Bowl
1982 victory, earning defensive player of the game in a 32-21 win over University of Oklahoma
.
in the first round (23rd overall) of the 1983 NFL Draft
by the Dallas Cowboys
.
In 1984
he replaced Harvey Martin
at the right defensive end
position and became one of the league leaders by recording 11.5 sacks.
His most memorable game was against the Washington Redskins
on November 10 1985
, when he recorded 11 tackles and sacked Joe Theisman a club record 5 times tying a Bob Lilly
’s 19-year-old team record.
Jeffcoat maintained a high level of play through the Cowboys lean years of the late 80s. His best season in Dallas came in 1989
, when he finished with a career-high 100 tackles, a career-high 42 quarterback
pressures, 11.5 sacks and a career-high three fumble
recoveries.
During the 1992
season he became a pass rush specialist, when the Cowboys moved Tony Tolbert
to the left defensive end
position and acquired in a trade Charles Haley
with the idea of making him the right defensive end
. That season he led the team with 10.5 sacks and six tackles for loss, during the team's drive towards winning Super Bowl XXVII
.
His repertoire of moves, allowed him to remain an accomplished situational rusher through 1994
, playing only in passing situations.
Jeffcoat played for the Cowboys for 12 seasons, won two Super Bowl
s (XXVII
and XXVIII
), totaled 698 tackles, 94.5 sacks and 149 quarterback
pressures. He registered five seasons with 70-or-more tackles and five seasons with 10-or-more sacks and left the Cowboys as it's all time leading quarterback
sacker (the NFL didn't start recognizing quarterback
sacks as an official stat until 1982
). He also scored 4 touchdown
s on interception and fumble returns, with both the interceptions coming against Phil Simms
of the New York Giants
, after passes swatted down by Ed "Too Tall" Jones
.
rings (1992–93), he left via free agency to the Buffalo Bills
before the start of the 1995 NFL season
, playing his final three years with the Bills before retiring.
Jeffcoat finished his fifteen NFL seasons with 102.5 sacks, 745 tackles and 194 quarterback pressures and 2 interceptions for 91 return yards and two touchdown
s, and eleven fumble
recoveries for 121 yards and two touchdown
s.
He ranks among the NFL's top-25 career leaders in sacks and his 227 games, place him among the top 40 players in NFL history in games played.
He was nominated for the Pro Football Hall of Fame
Class of 2008
On January 28, 2008, Jeffcoat was hired to join Kevin Sumlin
's staff at the University of Houston
as defensive line coach. Prior to arriving in Houston, Jeffcoat was in private business in the Dallas area for two years.
with their four children: twins Jackson
(19) and Jacqueline (19), Jaren (21), and Jasmine (12). Jacqueline is a top 2010 class basketball center recruit for the University of Oklahoma, while Jackson Jeffcoat has chosen the University of Texas for football after being an All-State defensive end
at Plano West Senior High School
and being considered one of top players in the Class of 2010 nationwide. He currently owns an Allstate insurance
agency.
Long Branch, New Jersey
Long Branch is a city in Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was 30,719.Long Branch was formed on April 11, 1867, as the Long Branch Commission, from portions of Ocean Township...
) is a former American football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
defensive lineman who played fifteen seasons in the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
. From 2008 to 2010 he served as defensive line coach for the Houston Cougars football
Houston Cougars football
The Houston Cougars football program is an NCAA Division I FBS football team that represents the University of Houston. The team is commonly referred to as "Houston" or "UH" . The UH football program is currently a member of the Conference USA intercollegiate athletic conference, and is coached by...
team. He is currently the defensive line coach for the San Jose State Spartans football team.
Early years
Jeffcoat played high school footballHigh school football
High school football, in North America, refers to the game of football as it is played in the United States and Canada. It ranks among the most popular interscholastic sports in both of these nations....
at Matawan Regional High School
Matawan Regional High School
Matawan Regional High School is a four-year regional public high school located in Aberdeen Township, New Jersey, United States. The school is part of the Matawan-Aberdeen Regional School District and it is one of Monmouth County's largest schools. It has been accredited by the Middle States...
in Aberdeen Township, New Jersey
Aberdeen Township, New Jersey
Aberdeen Township is a Township in Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 18,210....
. where he earned All-America
All-America
An All-America team is an honorary sports team composed of outstanding amateur players—those considered the best players of a specific season for each team position—who in turn are given the honorific "All-America" and typically referred to as "All-American athletes", or simply...
football honors while also lettering in wrestling.
Jeffcoat was a three-year starter at Arizona State University
Arizona State University
Arizona State University is a public research university located in the Phoenix Metropolitan Area of the State of Arizona...
from 1980-82.
In 1981 he earned honorable mention All--Pac-10 Conference accolades.
In 1982 he became the catalyst of the Sun Devils' No. 1 ranked Division 1-A defense (228.9 yards/game). He collected 95 tackles, four sacks, four pass deflections, and forced two fumbles during his senior season, where he earned All-Pac-10 Conference, Honorable Mention to the All-America
All-America
An All-America team is an honorary sports team composed of outstanding amateur players—those considered the best players of a specific season for each team position—who in turn are given the honorific "All-America" and typically referred to as "All-American athletes", or simply...
Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
and Sporting News teams. He also played in the East–West Shrine Game and in the Senior Bowl
Senior Bowl
The Senior Bowl is a post-season college football exhibition game played in Mobile, Alabama which showcases the best NFL Draft prospects of those collegiate players who have completed their eligibility. First played in 1950 in Jacksonville, Florida, the game moved to Mobile's Ladd Peebles Stadium...
.
He was inducted into the Arizona State Hall of Fame on Oct. 22, 1994, and was arguably the best defensive linemen to wear a Sun Devil uniform, finishing with 20 career sacks.
Jeffcoat was also named to the Fiesta Bowl
Fiesta Bowl
The Fiesta Bowl, now sponsored by Frito-Lay and named with their Tostitos brand, is a United States college football bowl game played annually at the University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. Between its origination in 1971 and 2006, the game was hosted in Tempe, Arizona at Sun Devil...
Hall of Fame. He dominated in Arizona State's Fiesta Bowl
Fiesta Bowl
The Fiesta Bowl, now sponsored by Frito-Lay and named with their Tostitos brand, is a United States college football bowl game played annually at the University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. Between its origination in 1971 and 2006, the game was hosted in Tempe, Arizona at Sun Devil...
1982 victory, earning defensive player of the game in a 32-21 win over University of Oklahoma
University of Oklahoma
The University of Oklahoma is a coeducational public research university located in Norman, Oklahoma. Founded in 1890, it existed in Oklahoma Territory near Indian Territory for 17 years before the two became the state of Oklahoma. the university had 29,931 students enrolled, most located at its...
.
Dallas Cowboys
He was draftedNFL Draft
The National Football League Draft is an annual event in which the National Football League teams select eligible college football players and it is their most common source of player recruitment. The basic design of the draft is each team is given a position in the drafting order in reverse order...
in the first round (23rd overall) of the 1983 NFL Draft
1983 NFL Draft
The 1983 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 26–27, 1983...
by the Dallas Cowboys
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
.
In 1984
1984 NFL season
The 1984 NFL season was the 65th regular season of the National Football League. The Colts relocated from Baltimore, Maryland to Indianapolis, Indiana....
he replaced Harvey Martin
Harvey Martin
Harvey Banks Martin was an American football defensive end in the National Football League for the Dallas Cowboys from 1973 until 1983. He started playing football in high school, only because he overheard his father tell his mother that he was ashamed that his son did not play like his friends'...
at the right defensive end
Defensive end
Defensive end is the name of a defensive position in the sport of American and Canadian football.This position has designated the players at each end of the defensive line, but changes in formations have substantially changed how the position is played over the years...
position and became one of the league leaders by recording 11.5 sacks.
His most memorable game was against the Washington Redskins
Washington Redskins
The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...
on November 10 1985
1985 NFL season
The 1985 NFL season was the 66th regular season of the National Football League. The season ended with Super Bowl XX when the Chicago Bears defeated the New England Patriots.-Major rule changes:...
, when he recorded 11 tackles and sacked Joe Theisman a club record 5 times tying a Bob Lilly
Bob Lilly
Robert Lewis Lilly is a former American football defensive tackle in the National Football League and photographer. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1980.-College career:...
’s 19-year-old team record.
Jeffcoat maintained a high level of play through the Cowboys lean years of the late 80s. His best season in Dallas came in 1989
1989 NFL season
The 1989 NFL season was the 70th regular season of the National Football League. Before the season, NFL commissioner Pete Rozelle announced his retirement...
, when he finished with a career-high 100 tackles, a career-high 42 quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
pressures, 11.5 sacks and a career-high three fumble
Fumble
A fumble in American and Canadian football occurs when a player, who has possession and control of the ball loses it before being downed or scoring. By rule, it is any act other than passing, kicking or successful handing that results in loss of player possession...
recoveries.
During the 1992
1992 NFL season
The 1992 NFL season was the 73rd regular season of the National Football League.Due to the damage caused by Hurricane Andrew, the New England Patriots–Miami Dolphins game that was scheduled for September 6 at Joe Robbie Stadium was rescheduled to October 18. Both teams originally had that...
season he became a pass rush specialist, when the Cowboys moved Tony Tolbert
Tony Tolbert
Anthony Lewis Tolbert is a former American football defensive end in the National Football League. He was raised in Englewood, New Jersey, and graduated from Dwight Morrow High School. Tolbert was drafted in 4th round of the 1989 NFL Draft by the Dallas Cowboys...
to the left defensive end
Defensive end
Defensive end is the name of a defensive position in the sport of American and Canadian football.This position has designated the players at each end of the defensive line, but changes in formations have substantially changed how the position is played over the years...
position and acquired in a trade Charles Haley
Charles Haley
Charles Lewis Haley is a former American football linebacker and defensive end in the National Football League who played for the San Francisco 49ers and the Dallas Cowboys . He was drafted in the fourth round of the 1986 NFL Draft out of James Madison University...
with the idea of making him the right defensive end
Defensive end
Defensive end is the name of a defensive position in the sport of American and Canadian football.This position has designated the players at each end of the defensive line, but changes in formations have substantially changed how the position is played over the years...
. That season he led the team with 10.5 sacks and six tackles for loss, during the team's drive towards winning Super Bowl XXVII
Super Bowl XXVII
Super Bowl XXVII was a football game played on January 31, 1993 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California to decide the National Football League champion following the 1992 regular season. The National Football Conference champion Dallas Cowboys defeated the American Football Conference champion...
.
His repertoire of moves, allowed him to remain an accomplished situational rusher through 1994
1994 NFL season
The 1994 NFL season was the 75th regular season of the National Football League. To honor the NFL's 75th season, a special anniversary logo was designed and each player wore a patch on their jerseys with this logo throughout the season...
, playing only in passing situations.
Jeffcoat played for the Cowboys for 12 seasons, won two Super Bowl
Super Bowl
The Super Bowl is the championship game of the National Football League , the highest level of professional American football in the United States, culminating a season that begins in the late summer of the previous calendar year. The Super Bowl uses Roman numerals to identify each game, rather...
s (XXVII
Super Bowl XXVII
Super Bowl XXVII was a football game played on January 31, 1993 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California to decide the National Football League champion following the 1992 regular season. The National Football Conference champion Dallas Cowboys defeated the American Football Conference champion...
and XXVIII
Super Bowl XXVIII
Super Bowl XXVIII was an American football game played on January 30, 1994, at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, Georgia, to decide the National Football League champion following the 1993 regular season. The National Football Conference champion Dallas Cowboys defeated the American Football...
), totaled 698 tackles, 94.5 sacks and 149 quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
pressures. He registered five seasons with 70-or-more tackles and five seasons with 10-or-more sacks and left the Cowboys as it's all time leading quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
sacker (the NFL didn't start recognizing quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
sacks as an official stat until 1982
1982 NFL season
The 1982 NFL season was the 63rd regular season of the National Football League. A 57-day long players' strike reduced the 1982 season from a 16-game schedule per team to an abbreviated nine game schedule...
). He also scored 4 touchdown
Touchdown
A touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone.-Description:...
s on interception and fumble returns, with both the interceptions coming against Phil Simms
Phil Simms
Phillip Martin "Phil" Simms is a former American football quarterback, and currently a television sportscaster for the CBS network. After a standout career at Morehead State University, Simms was drafted in the first round by the New York Giants of the National Football League with the number...
of the New York Giants
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
, after passes swatted down by Ed "Too Tall" Jones
Ed Jones (American football)
Ed Lee "Too Tall" Jones is a retired American football player in the NFL for the Dallas Cowboys. By the end of his 15 years with the Cowboys, he was officially credited with 57 quarterback sacks. Unofficially, his career sack total is 106...
.
Buffalo Bills
After twelve seasons with the Cowboys, in which he won two Super BowlSuper Bowl
The Super Bowl is the championship game of the National Football League , the highest level of professional American football in the United States, culminating a season that begins in the late summer of the previous calendar year. The Super Bowl uses Roman numerals to identify each game, rather...
rings (1992–93), he left via free agency to the Buffalo Bills
Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
before the start of the 1995 NFL season
1995 NFL season
The 1995 NFL season was the 76th regular season of the National Football League. The league expanded to 30 teams with the addition of the Carolina Panthers and the Jacksonville Jaguars...
, playing his final three years with the Bills before retiring.
Jeffcoat finished his fifteen NFL seasons with 102.5 sacks, 745 tackles and 194 quarterback pressures and 2 interceptions for 91 return yards and two touchdown
Touchdown
A touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone.-Description:...
s, and eleven fumble
Fumble
A fumble in American and Canadian football occurs when a player, who has possession and control of the ball loses it before being downed or scoring. By rule, it is any act other than passing, kicking or successful handing that results in loss of player possession...
recoveries for 121 yards and two touchdown
Touchdown
A touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone.-Description:...
s.
He ranks among the NFL's top-25 career leaders in sacks and his 227 games, place him among the top 40 players in NFL history in games played.
He was nominated for the Pro Football Hall of Fame
Pro Football Hall of Fame
The Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame of professional football in the United States with an emphasis on the National Football League . It opened in Canton, Ohio, on September 7, 1963, with 17 charter inductees...
Class of 2008
Coaching career
After his retirement in 1997, he spent seven seasons (1998–2005) on the Cowboys' coaching staff. Jeffcoat spent his last five seasons in the organization as the defensive ends coach after two years as the club's assistant defensive line coach.On January 28, 2008, Jeffcoat was hired to join Kevin Sumlin
Kevin Sumlin
-External links:*...
's staff at the University of Houston
University of Houston
The University of Houston is a state research university, and is the flagship institution of the University of Houston System. Founded in 1927, it is Texas's third-largest university with nearly 40,000 students. Its campus spans 667 acres in southeast Houston, and was known as University of...
as defensive line coach. Prior to arriving in Houston, Jeffcoat was in private business in the Dallas area for two years.
Personal
After retiring as a player, Jeffcoat served as the defensive ends coach for the Cowboys, until 2005. He and his wife, Tammy, live just outside the suburb of Plano, TexasPlano, Texas
Plano is a city in the state of Texas, located mostly within Collin County. The city's population was 259,841 at the 2010 census, making it the ninth-largest city in Texas and the 71st most populous city in the United States. Plano is located within the metropolitan area commonly referred to as...
with their four children: twins Jackson
Jackson Jeffcoat
Jackson Jeffcoat is an American football defensive end. He currently attends the University of Texas at Austin in his freshman year...
(19) and Jacqueline (19), Jaren (21), and Jasmine (12). Jacqueline is a top 2010 class basketball center recruit for the University of Oklahoma, while Jackson Jeffcoat has chosen the University of Texas for football after being an All-State defensive end
Defensive end
Defensive end is the name of a defensive position in the sport of American and Canadian football.This position has designated the players at each end of the defensive line, but changes in formations have substantially changed how the position is played over the years...
at Plano West Senior High School
Plano West Senior High School
Plano West Senior High School is a public secondary school in Plano, Texas serving high school juniors and seniors. The school is part of the Plano Independent School District, with admission based primarily on the locations of students' homes. Students at Plano West attended one of two high...
and being considered one of top players in the Class of 2010 nationwide. He currently owns an Allstate insurance
Allstate
The Allstate Corporation is the second-largest personal lines insurer in the United States and the largest that is publicly held. The company also has personal lines insurance operations in Canada. Allstate was founded in 1931 as part of Sears, Roebuck and Co., and was spun off in 1993...
agency.