Former NFL star quarterback and 2003 first-overall pick Carson Palmer is making a move to the coaching sidelines.
Per Eric Sondheimer of the Los Angeles Times, Carson Palmer has been named the new head coach of the Santa Margarita High School football team. Palmer attended this school before taking his talents to USC.
As Sondheimer noted, the school put coach Anthony Rouzier on administrative leave following a locker room incident. He was subsequently fired, with defensive coordinator Steve Fifita taking on the interim HC role.
Palmer was previously on the school’s freshman team as a volunteer to help his son, Fletch, Sondheimer added. Fletch is also a signal-caller.
The 45-year-old Carson Palmer was drafted first-overall by the Cincinnati Bengals in 2003 after winning the Heisman Trophy. Palmer restored some relevance to the long-struggling franchise, helping Cincy to AFC North division crowns in 2005 and 2009.
Palmer eventually lost his starting job to rookie Andy Dalton in 2011 following speculation that he would retire after his age-31 2020 season. A public feud intensified between Palmer and the Bengals’ front office, and he was traded to the Oakland Raiders in a blockbuster mid-season trade.
After two disappointing seasons with the Raiders, Palmer was traded to the Arizona Cardinals. There, “quarterback whisperer” Bruce Arians helped Palmer enjoy the best football of his up-and-down career.
He led Arizona to three straight winning seasons (2013 to 2015), two playoff berths and a trip to the 2015 NFC Championship Game. Palmer retired after a frustrating 2017 season.
Carson Palmer Had An Up-And-Down Career
Unfortunately, injuries and inconsistent play prevented Palmer from fully reaching his potential. He suffered a season-ending knee injury in the club’s 2005 Wild Card Round loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers and tore his ACL in the midst of an MVP-caliber career.
There’s no telling how different things could have been for Cincinnati and Arizona if Palmer didn’t suffer those injuries. As solid as he was behind center, there are several “what ifs” that linger over his career.
