Jack Del Rio lands job with prominent college football team

Sep 16, 2021; Landover, Maryland, USA; Washington Football Team defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio looks on before a game against the New York Giants at FedExField. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports

Longtime NFL coach Jack Del Rio has landed a new job, but he is venturing into somewhat unfamiliar territory.

Del Rio has been hired by the Wisconsin football team as a senior advisor to head coach Luke Fickell, Bruce Feldman of The Athletic reports. The plan is for Del Rio to assist with personnel on both sides of the ball and be someone Fickell can “bounce ideas off of.”

SOURCE: Longtime NFL coach Jack Del Rio is joining Wisconsin as Senior Advisor to the Head Coach. He will assist both sides of the ball, personnel and be there for Luke Fickell to bounce ideas off of. The 61-yr-old was the head coach w/ the Raiders & Jaguars and been a DC for the…

— Bruce Feldman (@BruceFeldmanCFB) August 29, 2024

Del Rio, 61, was fired as defensive coordinator of the Washington Commanders midway through last season. He had been with the team since 2020, when he was hired by Ron Rivera.

Del Rio was the head coach of the then-Oakland Raiders for three seasons from 2015-2017 prior to landing in Washington. He took some time off between his stints with the Raiders and Commanders.

Though he was linked to a prominent college head coach job years ago, Del Rio’s coaching experience is all with the NFL. He was the head coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars from 2003-2011 and has worked as a defensive assistant for several others teams since he retired from playing linebacker in the 1990s.

Fickell is entering his second season as the head coach at Wisconsin. He led the Badgers to a 7-6 record and a bowl game appearance last year.