What to Know About New Canaan Football After Its Perfect 2025 Season

New Canaan enters the 2026 high school football season with one of the most accomplished programs in Connecticut and a championship streak still intact.

The Rams went 13-0 last season and captured their fourth consecutive state championship, completing their run through the Class L playoffs with three convincing victories.

The Rams did this in a dominant fashion and took care of the playoffs by winning every game by 20 or more points. They took care of Darien in the first round, 42-7, and then Weaver, whom they defeated 43-6. Finally, in the championship game, New Canaan then defeated Cheshire 34-13 in the championship game.

A Championship Tradition

Few high school football programs can claim four consecutive state championships. New Canaan can, and its history extends well beyond its current streak. Those four championships increased New Canaan's all-time total to 26. The Rams also have won 10 Fairfield County Interscholastic Athletic Conference championships.

Much of that success has come under longtime coach Lou Marinelli, who has led the Rams since 1981. Marinelli, Connecticut's all-time winningest high school football coach, has guided New Canaan to 16 state championships.

On top of having one of the best coaches in the country, they also have an elite quarterback. New Canaan also returns quarterback Maddox Hoffman, one of Connecticut's top players entering the 2026 season. The Class of 2027 quarterback passed for more than 2,000 yards with 21 touchdowns while completing 68% of his passes last season. Hoffman is committed to Northwestern for baseball, giving the Rams a standout two-sport athlete behind center.

Championship Depth

Like every successful high school program, New Canaan must replace key seniors each season. The Rams have been able to sustain their success by developing players capable of stepping into larger roles when their opportunities arrive.

Up front, one of the Rams' key returners is Connor Furman, a 6-foot-5, 270-pound offensive lineman committed to Harvard. Furman earned first-team all-division honors as a junior and enters his senior season as an anchor of New Canaan's offensive line.

Another key two-way contributor is Jackson Crowell, who plays running back and linebacker for the Rams. Crowell is also a standout lacrosse player and is committed to Princeton as a five-star goalie.

Can New Canaan Keep the Streak Going?

After a 13-0 season and a fourth consecutive state championship, New Canaan enters 2026 with expectations that few programs have to manage.

Their closest margin the playoffs was more than three touchdowns, which could raise a few questions for the Rams. The question now is whether the Rams can maintain that standard while replacing another graduating class and facing a schedule filled with opponents eager to end their championship run.

The first test comes against Trumbull in the season opener. For a New Canaan program chasing a fifth consecutive state championship, it will provide the first indication of whether the Rams are prepared to pick up where they left off.

After four straight titles, the standard in New Canaan is no longer simply reaching championship contention. It's staying there.

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