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Former Patriot James White is making the switch to college coaching
"James has always been a leader in the locker room and demanded respect from his teammates and coaches."
James White is making the move to the collegiate coaching ranks.
The former Patriots running back and three-time Super Bowl champion has been hired as the new running backs coach at the University of Illinois.
This will mark White’s first coaching role after the 33-year-old back initially announced his retirement just ahead of the 2022 season. White’s new role will carve out a spot on the staff of Illinois head coach Bret Bielema, who has plenty of ties with White over the years.
White played for Bielema at the University of Wisconsin from 2010-12, with the duo later reuniting with the Patriots when Bielema served as a consultant in 2018 and the team’s defensive line coach in 2019.
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“Since first recruiting James out of St. Thomas Aquinas, he has continued to be an impressive person both on and off the football field,” Bielem said of White in the team’s announcement of the Fighting Illini’s new coaching hires. “James has always been a leader in the locker room and demanded respect from his teammates and coaches. With his experiences in the Big Ten and on the biggest stages in the NFL, he will be a great resource for our running backs.”
White is set to join an Illinois program that has made significant strides in recent years. The Fighting Illini posted a record of 10-3 last season, including 6-3 in the Big Ten.
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“I am thankful for the opportunity to work with Coach Bielema and his staff,” White said. “I am excited to get to learn and grow with the coaches and players as we work to be the best we can be on a daily basis.”
White was a dependable pass-catching running back and clutch playoff performer during his eight seasons with the Patriots, closing out his NFL career with 381 receptions for 3,278 yards and 25 touchdowns in his career while also rushing for another 11 scores.
The best game of his football career came in Super Bowl LI against the Falcons, with White reeling in 14 catches for 110 yards and a touchdown while also rushing for another two scores — including the game-winner in overtime.
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