Len Cusumano Steps Down as Pascack Valley Head Coach After Nine Seasons

Championship-winning coach leaves legacy of success, leadership and playoff excellence in New Jersey football.

Pascack Valley football hosts River Dell, Friday, Oct. 18, 2024, Hillsdale, New Jersey. Pascack Valley head coach Len Cusumano celebrates a 35-7 win. / Anne-Marie Caruso/NorthJersey.com / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Len Cusumano will be stepping down as the head football coach at Pascack Valley High School, according to a report on NJ.com.

Cusumano served as head coach of the Panthers for nine seasons after spending seven years as an assistant coach under Craig Nielsen. In his nine seasons at the helm of the Pascack Valley program, he recorded a 46-42 record.

Pascack Valley won a sectional championship under Cusumano in 2024 and reached the postseason six times in his nine seasons. Cusumano had a playoff record of 6-6 with the Panthers.

He joined the Pascack Valley coaching staff in 2008, where he was primarily the team’s offensive coordinator. He was an integral member of the coaching staff for the Panthers’ two state sectional title wins in 2013 and 2014.

A New Jersey native, Cusumano was a standout two-way player at Passaic Valley High School, where he was an all-county tight end for the Indians, Cusumano then earned a football scholarship to Syracuse. During his four-year career with the Orange he played both tight end and fullback. Cusumano was a three-year letterman for the Orange and a four-time Big East All-Academic Team selection for Syracuse, seeing playing time in 37 career games from 2000-2003. He was moved from fullback to tight end after the 2000 season.

Prior to his collegiate career, Cusumano was a Super Prep All-American and Tom Lemming All-Regional selection. Prep Star rated him the No. 8 running back in the Eastern Region, and he was ranked No. 6 in Super Prep’s New Jersey 36. He was also listed in the New Jersey Top 100 and was the 13th-rated linebacker by ESPN.com.

As a senior, he earned second-team all-state honors as a defensive lineman and was a two-time all-county, all-area, and all-conference first-team selection as a tight end, while also serving as team captain in his senior year. His career scholastic statistics included 32 catches for 510 yards and 15 touchdowns, along with 140 tackles and 17 sacks. He led the team with 48 solo tackles as a senior. Cusumano also earned a spot on the New Jersey Governor’s Bowl Team.