In a move that's generating serious buzz in Southern California high school football circles, Long Beach (CA) Jordan High School has hired former NFL running back Rashaad Penny as its next head football coach, according to a report by The562.com.

"We're beyond excited to have Coach Penny taking over the program," Jordan athletic director Josh Dozier told the outlet. "The career accolades are obvious: San Diego State legend, Norwalk legend, an amazing NFL career. But we're more excited about who he is as a person, who he is off the field: a mentor, and a role model for our students, especially as student-athletes. I think he just exemplifies that to a T."

Penny, who last suited up in the NFL during the 2023 season, was a first-round pick (No. 27 overall) by the Seattle Seahawks in the 2018 draft. Over his professional career, he rushed for 1,951 yards on 348 carries and punched in 13 touchdowns. But it was his college career at San Diego State that truly turned heads. As a senior in 2017, Penny exploded for 2,248 rushing yards—the sixth-best single-season total in NCAA history—and finished fifth in Heisman Trophy voting.

Now, the Norwalk native is returning to his roots to take on a new challenge: reviving a Jordan program that has gone 5-15 over the last two seasons. The Panthers finished the 2025 campaign with a 1-8 record, ranking No. 574 in the final California High School Football Massey Rankings.

"Oh, heck yeah. Especially going back into the area, coming back home," Penny said. "Just seeing my little nephews, and my little cousins that played in that area, it's kind of a no-brainer. It's always been something I wanted to do."

Established in 1934, David Starr Jordan High School serves approximately 2,200 students in North Long Beach. The school is currently undergoing comprehensive modernization, including new facilities for medical sciences, arts, and advanced manufacturing. With Penny at the helm, the Panthers are hoping to write a new chapter—one that brings winning football back to a community that knows what it looks like.