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Sylvester Croom's career is much more than his 21-38 tenure at Mississippi State, which included the 2007 SEC Coach of the Year award. Croom became the first Black head coach in SEC history when he took the reins at Mississippi State in 2004. He stayed in Starkville for five seasons.
After playing for Paul "Bear" Bryant at Alabama from 1972-74 and his brief one-year stint in the NFL with the New Orleans Saints, Croom got into coaching in 1976 as a graduate assistant at his alma mater.
"Coach Bryant never gave up on me and I appreciated that," Croom said. "I went to Alabama to be a tight end and I never caught a pass. So, coach Bryant put the ball in my hands every snap by moving me to center. I am very glad that he did."
Croom was a member of the Crimson Tide coaching staff for 10 years, primarily serving as a linebackers coach. In 1987, he moved to the NFL as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' running backs until 1990. In 1991, he was the Indianapolis Colts' running backs coach. He coached the San Diego Chargers' running backs from 1992-96.
Croom was the Detroit Lions' offensive coordinator from 1997-2000. He considered that to be one of the biggest upward moves of his career.
Croom coached the Green Bay Packers' running backs from 2001-03 before arriving at Mississippi State. After his maroon and white tenure, Croom went back to the NFL as a running backs coach with the St. Louis Rams (2009-11), Jacksonville Jaguars (2012) and Tennessee Titans (2013-16).
The Tuscaloosa native was inducted into the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame in 2020.
This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Sylvester Croom SEC first Black head football coach at Mississippi State
Continue reading...
After playing for Paul "Bear" Bryant at Alabama from 1972-74 and his brief one-year stint in the NFL with the New Orleans Saints, Croom got into coaching in 1976 as a graduate assistant at his alma mater.
"Coach Bryant never gave up on me and I appreciated that," Croom said. "I went to Alabama to be a tight end and I never caught a pass. So, coach Bryant put the ball in my hands every snap by moving me to center. I am very glad that he did."
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Croom was a member of the Crimson Tide coaching staff for 10 years, primarily serving as a linebackers coach. In 1987, he moved to the NFL as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' running backs until 1990. In 1991, he was the Indianapolis Colts' running backs coach. He coached the San Diego Chargers' running backs from 1992-96.
Croom was the Detroit Lions' offensive coordinator from 1997-2000. He considered that to be one of the biggest upward moves of his career.
Croom coached the Green Bay Packers' running backs from 2001-03 before arriving at Mississippi State. After his maroon and white tenure, Croom went back to the NFL as a running backs coach with the St. Louis Rams (2009-11), Jacksonville Jaguars (2012) and Tennessee Titans (2013-16).
The Tuscaloosa native was inducted into the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame in 2020.
This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Sylvester Croom SEC first Black head football coach at Mississippi State
Continue reading...
