SWAC Coaches with New Orleans Bloodlines: Marshall Faulk, Eddie Robinson Jr, and Mickey Joseph

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- The Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) features three head coaches from New Orleans, also known as "The Crescent City." In 2026, Alabama State’s Eddie Robinson Jr., Southern’s Marshall Faulk and Grambling State’s Mickey Joseph will compete on fields far from their hometown high school days. Robinson and Joseph faced off as players in the same era, while Faulk became a city legend by taking New Orleans football to the highest levels in college and the NFL.

At Monday’s Birmingham Football Classic press conference, Faulk and Robinson talked with reporters about their shared New Orleans roots. Their connection stretches from high school games in the Crescent City to Super Bowl XXXIV between the Rams and Titans, and now back to coaching on SWAC sidelines.

The Birmingham Classic won't be the first time #Southern head coach Marshall Faulk and Alabama State head coach Eddie Robinson Jr. face off.

Back in 2000, they played against each other in Super Bowl XXXIV when the Rams beat the Titans, 23-16.@theswac @LAFirstNews pic.twitter.com/GJ1Qg7gjNh
— Brendon Fairbairn (@FairbairnTV) July 15, 2026

"First of all, we’re both from New Orleans, so we’re both New Orleans," Faulk said. "That pedigree right there, it runs rich. It’s in both of our bloods. But we face each other in the Super Bowl. He was playing for the Titans at the time when I was with the Rams."

Coach Marshall Faulk — Coach Faulk | Southern University Athletics

A Super Bowl Between Sons of the Crescent City

On Jan. 30, 2000, Faulk’s St. Louis Rams faced Robinson’s Tennessee Titans in Super Bowl XXXIV in Atlanta. The Rams, known as the "Greatest Show on Turf," won 23-16 after Kevin Dyson was tackled just one yard short of the end zone on the final play. That dramatic finish came at the end of a drive led by quarterback Steve McNair, the Alcorn State legend and 1994 SWAC icon whose college achievements are still remembered in the conference where both coaches now work.

"That Super Bowl was one of the most epic Super Bowls. It was like they were blowouts before then," Faulk said. "And it came down to an epic, epic moment by a guy who had huge games in this stadium, in this conference, in the late Steve McNair."

Alabama State Hornets head coach Eddie Robinson Jr. works with his players during the Miles College game on the ASU campus in Montgomery, Ala., on Saturday September 7, 2024. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

That Super Bowl was the highlight of a rivalry that spanned their NFL careers. "But, yeah, it was the time that we played each other," Faulk said. "I think we played each other maybe two other times outside of that, but just great battles, man. He’s a great competitor."

Robinson’s respect for Faulk goes back to Faulk’s record-setting days at San Diego State, when Robinson was making his mark as a two-time SWAC Defensive Player of the Year at Alabama State.

"Just watching him like he was at San Diego State. I was in college at the time and playing against him. We played against each other in the Super Bowl also," Robinson said. "And so he just had a great career. So I think one of those guys, from a city of New Orleans standpoint, he’s one of the legends to come out the city. And same thing with Mickey Joseph. I played against him also."

Three Prep Programs, One Standard

Their football journeys started just blocks apart. Faulk played at Carver High School, then became a three-time Heisman Trophy finalist at San Diego State and was picked second overall in the 1994 NFL Draft. Robinson graduated from Brother Martin High School in 1988, walked on at Alabama State, led the Hornets to an undefeated 1991 Black College National Championship and was drafted 50th overall by the Houston Oilers in 1992. Joseph, named the 1986 Parade National Player of the Year at Archbishop Shaw in Marrero, went on to quarterback Nebraska to a 39-9-1 record from 1988 to 1991.

Robinson often points out how their high school years overlapped. "So we’re all in that same era," Robinson said. "And so I just think it’s really cool to have three head coaches that all played at the same time and prep the high school football in New Orleans."

Nov 8, 2025; Grambling State head football coach Mickey Joseph during his postgame interview. — Nov 8, 2025; Grambling State head football coach Mickey Joseph during his postgame interview with the media after defeating Bethune-Cookman, 31-23. | KNOE8 NEWS

From New Orleans Fields to SWAC Sidelines

Now, each coach leads a team with championship hopes. Robinson became Alabama State’s 30th head coach on Nov. 26, 2021, and has a 30-16 record, including four straight winning seasons and a share of the 2025 SWAC East title. Joseph took over as Grambling State’s 15th head coach on Dec. 18, 2023, and led the Tigers to a 7-5 season in 2025, with almost 20 players from the New Orleans area. Faulk, the 2000 NFL MVP and 2011 Pro Football Hall of Famer, was named Southern’s 22nd head coach on Dec. 1, 2025, and quickly signed a 49-player class with 17 from Louisiana.

This strong connection to New Orleans is intentional. Every year, more than 40 former high school players from the city make NFL rosters, and all three coaches focus on recruiting local talent.

A Rivalry Renewed in 2026

The matchups come soon. Faulk’s Jaguars will open the 2026 season against Robinson’s Hornets on Aug. 29 at Legion Field in the Birmingham Football Classic, broadcast on ESPNU. SWAC Commissioner Dr. Charles McClelland came up with the idea to have the Super Bowl XXXIV opponents face off as head coaches for the first time.

In November, Faulk and Joseph will face each other in the Bayou Classic at the Caesars Superdome. These two New Orleans legends will coach from opposite sidelines in the stadium where their hometown celebrates football.

Three programs, three head coaches, one shared heritage. The SWAC’s New Orleans connection is powerful. The hope is that it becomes not just another storyline but a legacy built on great games and championships in the conference.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which SWAC head coaches are from New Orleans?

Marshall Faulk (Southern), Eddie Robinson Jr. (Alabama State) and Mickey Joseph (Grambling State) all played high school football in the New Orleans area during the same era.

Did Marshall Faulk and Eddie Robinson Jr. play against each other in the Super Bowl?

Yes. Faulk’s St. Louis Rams defeated Robinson’s Tennessee Titans 23-16 in Super Bowl XXXIV on Jan. 30, 2000, a game decided when Kevin Dyson was tackled one yard short on the final play.

Where did the three coaches play high school football?

Faulk starred at Carver High School, Robinson graduated from Brother Martin High School in 1988, and Joseph was the 1986 Parade National Player of the Year at Archbishop Shaw in Marrero.

When do the New Orleans coaches face each other in 2026?

Southern opens against Alabama State on Aug. 29 at Legion Field in Birmingham on ESPNU, matching Faulk against Robinson. Faulk and Joseph meet in the Bayou Classic between Southern and Grambling State at the Caesars Superdome in November.

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