Jeffrey Fitzgerald enters his fourth season with the Chowan Hawks’ football program as the assistant coach for defensive line.
The 2019 season, Fitzgerald aided in the selection of Rafiq Abdul-Wahid to another All-CIAA Second Team selection.
During the 2018 season, Fitzgerald helped Rafiq Abdul-Wahid to an All-CIAA Second Team selection and Tyler Bembry to a CIAA Honorable Mention nod. The defensive line unit posted 24 sacks and held rival, Elizabeth City State, to negative two yards rushing.
In 2017, Fitzgerald coached Tyler Bembry and Nate Wyche to All-CIAA Second Team honors. The defensive line produced 27 sacks including 10.0 from Bembry and Wyche. The defense held Johnson C. Smith to 100 yards of total offense.
Prior to coming to Chowan, Fitzgerald spent a season as a Defensive Line Graduate Assistant at Troy University.
Before stepping into the collegiate coaching system, Fitzgerald spent four seasons as the Assistant Football coach at Hermitage High School in Richmond, Va.
Before becoming a coach, Fitzgerald played professional with the Arena Football League’s Philadelphia Soul, United Football League’s Omaha Nighthawks and with the NFL’s Kansas City Chiefs.
Fitzgerald has helped over the years at the University of Richmond, University of Maryland, and the University of Virginia with Linemen and Team camps.
Fitzgerald was a football student-athlete at the University of Virginia and Kansas State University. While at UVA, Fitzgerald was named ACC All-Freshman, First Team All-American by Scripps Football Writers Association, First Team All-State, Virginia Rookie of the Year, and was awarded the Dudley Award for Most Outstanding First Year Player (UVA) during his freshman season. Fitzgerald garnered ACC Defensive Lineman of the Week honors during the 2007 season.
After three seasons at UVA, Fitzgerald transferred to Kansas State where he was named All-Big 12 Honorable Mention, CoSIDA/ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District, First Team Academic All-Big 12 and Most Valuable Defensive Player/Defensive Front Award by KSU during the 2009 season.
Fitzgerald picked up Defensive Lineman of the Year award while playing for the Chicago Rush in 2012. He is certified by the NCACE USA Football Heads Up and selected to coach the Defensive line for Team 804 in the I-64 Bowl.
Fitzgerald graduated from Kansas State in 2009 with a Bachelors degree in Sociology.
Fitzgerald resides in the Murfreesboro area.
