Former Texas Longhorns quarterback and NFL tight end Tyrone Swoopes has been named the new tight ends coach at Lindale High School in East Texas, the school announced Friday.
Swoopes, a four-star prospect out of Class 2A Whitewright High School near Sherman, Texas, was recruited by Mack Brown and ranked as the No. 13 athlete nationally. He played sparingly during his freshman season at Texas in 2013, backing up David Ash, before taking over as the starting quarterback under head coach Charlie Strong the following year.
Swoopes’ tenure in Austin was marked by both challenges and memorable moments. As a sophomore in 2014, he started 12 of 13 games, finishing the season with a 58 percent completion rate, 2,409 passing yards, 13 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions, along with 108 rushing yards. The Longhorns went 6-7 that year, ending with a loss to Arkansas in the Texas Bow.
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Perhaps most notably, Swoopes became a fan favorite for his role in the “18-wheeler package,” a short-yardage formation that capitalized on his 6-foot-4, 249-pound frame and his No. 18 jersey. The package was famously deployed during the double-overtime upset of Notre Dame in the 2016 season opener, when Swoopes scored a decisive six-yard touchdown.
After his college career, Swoopes signed with the Seattle Seahawks as an undrafted free agent in 2017, transitioning to tight end. He spent most of his NFL career on practice squads with the Seahawks, Philadelphia Eagles, and Washington Football Team, but appeared in six games for Seattle, recording two catches for 28 yards before retiring in 2021.
Swoopes returned to high school coaching in 2022 as an assistant football and track coach at Tom Bean High School, a Class 2A rival of his alma mater. His move to Lindale represents a step up to a Class 4A program, where he is expected to bring his experience and energy to the Eagles’ staff.