10 Football Coaches Who Were Caught Cheating

Let’s face it, football coaches are some of the smartest minds out there, but they’re not always above bending the rules (or violating them completely) to win. Here’s a look at 10 football coaches who were caught cheating.

Jim Tressel 

Openverse

Former Ohio State head coach Jim Tressel resigned after it was revealed he knew players were trading memorabilia for tattoos and failed to report it to the NCAA. The scandal not only led to a vacated 2010 season but also sanctions against Ohio State.

Pete Carroll

Openverse

Pete Carroll’s USC program came under fire when it was discovered that star player Reggie Bush received improper benefits. USC was forced to vacate its 2004 national title and Carroll left for the NFL shortly before sanctions hit.

Barry Switzer 

Openverse

Former Oklahoma coach Barry Switzer faced violations including improper benefits to players and a lack of institutional control. The investigation caused Switzer to resign in 1989.

Hugh Freeze 

Openverse

Hugh Freeze resigned from Ole Miss after an NCAA investigation uncovered recruiting violations, as well as a personal scandal involving inappropriate calls on a university-issued phone.

Chip Kelly 

Openverse

Oregon head coach Chip Kelly’s program was hit with NCAA sanctions after it was revealed Oregon paid a recruiting service for improper scouting reports. Kelly left for the NFL before the punishment was handed down.

Read More: Olympic Athletes Who Were Caught Cheating

Bill Belichick

Openverse

Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots were caught videotaping opposing teams’ defensive signals, which was a clear violation of NFL rules. This earned Belichick a $500,000 fine, the Patriots a $250,000 fine, and a loss of a first-round draft pick.

Read More: 17 MLB Stars Who Got Away With Cheating

Hal Mumme

Openverse

Hal Mumme’s tenure at Kentucky ended in scandal when the NCAA uncovered multiple recruiting violations, resulting in probation for the program.

Read More: The 11 Most Overrated Coaches in College Football History

George O’Leary 

Wikipedia

George O’Leary resigned just days after being hired at Notre Dame when it was discovered he falsified academic achievements on his resume. This was a bad look for both O’Leary and Notre Dame. 

Read More: Spotlight: Why These NFL Coaches Didn’t Deserve Super Bowl Rings

John Blake

Openverse

Back in 2010, John Blake was accused of acting as a middleman between players and sports agents. This then led to NCAA sanctions against North Carolina’s football program.

Read More: 10 Olympians With REALLY Surprising Resumes

Sean Payton 

Openverse

The New Orleans Saints’ coaching staff, led by Sean Payton, was found to have implemented a bounty system that rewarded players for injuring opponents. As punishment, Payton was suspended for the entire 2012 NFL season.

Read More: 12 NFL Stars Who Were Accused of Cheating

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