Carson Palmer Named Head Coach at Santa Margarita High School
Heisman Trophy winner and 15-year NFL veteran Carson Palmer has been named head coach of the Santa Margarita High School football team in Rancho Santa Margarita, California. The news, reported by Eric Sondheimer of the Los Angeles Times, marks a homecoming for Palmer, a Santa Margarita alum who boasts a storied football career.
Palmer steps into the role following the tenure of interim head coach Steve Fifita, after the Eagles concluded their season with a 5-7 record. Notably, five of those losses came against top-ranked teams in the MaxPreps Top 25, including No. 1 Mater Dei and No. 7 St. John Bosco. Palmer now faces the challenge of steering Santa Margarita to greater success while fostering the development of its athletes.
One unique aspect of Palmer's new role is the opportunity to coach his son, Fletch Palmer, who just completed his freshman season at Santa Margarita. The younger Palmer had an impressive debut, throwing for 2,426 yards and 40 touchdowns for the Eagles' freshman squad. He also saw varsity action late in the season, recording one tackle.
As a high school player, Palmer was a standout at Santa Margarita, leading the program to section championships in 1996 and 1997. His performance in the 1997 title game, where he threw for 419 yards and five touchdowns, remains a highlight of his early career. By the end of his high school tenure, he amassed 4,692 passing yards and 55 touchdowns. Recognized as one of the top pro-style quarterbacks in the Class of 1998, Palmer was ranked No. 4 by Tom Lemming, just two spots behind future MLB legend Matt Holliday.
In addition to football, Palmer showcased his athleticism on the basketball court, winning a state title in 1998 with a 32-2 team record.
Palmer’s achievements only grew at USC, where he claimed the prestigious Heisman Trophy in 2002. He was the first overall pick in the 2003 NFL Draft, selected by the Cincinnati Bengals. Over a 15-year NFL career, Palmer also played for the Oakland Raiders and Arizona Cardinals, retiring in 2017 with 294 career touchdown passes.
Palmer began his involvement with Santa Margarita's football program earlier this year as a volunteer freshman quarterback coach, mentoring his son and other young players. His deep ties to the school, combined with his wealth of experience, make him a promising leader for the Eagles.
Santa Margarita's community is eager to see how Palmer's expertise and passion will shape the program as he takes the helm.
