Bishop O’Connell High School in Arlington announced last week
that former Washington Redskin tight end Chris Cooley has
joined its football staff as the offensive line and tight
ends coach. He also will help head coach Colin Disch
formulate offensive schemes.
Cooley spent nine years with the Redskins, during which time
he earned two Pro Bowl selections. Since his retirement from
professional football, he has been working on an afternoon
radio show at ESPN 980. That show is about to shift to a
morning slot, thus opening up Cooley’s afternoon schedule to
allow him to coach at the Arlington school.
According to a report in the Washington Post, Cooley was
contacted about joining the O’Connell staff by Phil Anderson,
another of the school’s new coaches. The two met at a golf
tournament last year and remained in touch.
O’Connell, which is coming off a 1-9 season, announced in
December that its football team will no longer compete in the
Washington Catholic Athletic Conference. The Knights will
play an independent schedule during the upcoming season,
similar to that of the other diocesan high schools – Paul VI
Catholic in Fairfax, Bishop Ireton in Alexandria and Saint
John Paul the Great Catholic in Dumfries.
Spring practice is expected to start May 16.
