Trent Dilfer admits he was 'forced' to take UAB head coaching job

The Super Bowl winner says he never truly wanted the position before accepting it in 2023.

Published on Mar. 3, 2026

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Former NFL quarterback Trent Dilfer has acknowledged that he was reluctantly pressured into taking the head coaching job at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) in 2023, despite not wanting the position. Dilfer went 9-21 in two-plus seasons as the Blazers' head coach before being fired midway through his third year after a 2-4 start.

Why it matters

Dilfer's admission sheds light on the growing pressures and transactional nature of college football, especially with the rise of NIL deals, which have led to rapid career advancement becoming the primary path forward for many coaches. His experience highlights the challenges faced by high-profile coaches when navigating the evolving college landscape.

The details

Dilfer said he was 'vehemently opposed' to taking the UAB job, as he was content in his role as head coach at Lipscomb Academy, where he had built a powerhouse program. However, multiple schools reached out to him during his final season at Lipscomb, where he went 44-10 from 2019-22 and capped his run with a 13-0 record in 2022. Ultimately, Dilfer said he underestimated how different the college landscape had become, with NIL deals taking a front seat and rapid career advancement being the only way forward. Despite the pressure, Dilfer admitted that his job at Lipscomb was 'exponentially better' than his time at UAB.

  • Dilfer was hired as the head coach of the UAB Blazers in 2023.
  • Dilfer went 9-21 in two-plus seasons as head coach of the UAB Blazers.
  • Dilfer was fired midway through his third season as UAB's head coach after a 2-4 start.

The players

Trent Dilfer

A former NFL quarterback who won a Super Bowl with the Baltimore Ravens. He was the head coach of the UAB Blazers from 2023 to 2025.

Lipscomb Academy

A high school football program where Dilfer was the head coach from 2019 to 2022, leading the team to a 44-10 record and a 13-0 season in 2022.

UAB Blazers

The football team of the University of Alabama at Birmingham, where Dilfer was the head coach from 2023 to 2025.

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What they’re saying

“I did feel a burden. I did not want to do it. My wife will tell you this. I was vehemently opposed to it.”

— Trent Dilfer (OutKick)

“My job at Lipscomb is exponentially better than my job at UAB. It's not even in the conversation of comparison.”

— Trent Dilfer (OutKick)

The takeaway

Dilfer's experience highlights the growing pressures and transactional nature of college football, where rapid career advancement has become the primary path forward for many coaches, often at the expense of personal preferences and long-term stability. His candid admission serves as a cautionary tale for other high-profile coaches navigating the evolving college landscape.