Chris Maragos went from being a Philadelphia Eagle to being head coach for the Celtics, a local high school in South Florida.
NAPLES – Whether it was Pop Warner or the NFL, Chris Maragos has spent around 30 years running onto a football field to play the sport he loves. Now, he is still running onto the field but in a much different way than he ever imagined.
Maragos, 39, was coaching his son’s youth football team with no intention of going to a higher level. Until some other coaches of the Pop Warner team mentioned that a local high school was looking for a new head coach.
He was hesitant at first but after talking it over with his wife, Serah Maragos, he realized that this is what God was pulling him to do. In December of 2024, the two-time Super Bowl champion became the head coach for the St John Neuman Catholic High School football team.
The Naples community was super excited to welcome Maragos, and the students were eager to learn from him. “We were a small school before he got here, we weren’t really known. But when he came it shocked the whole area, the whole 239,” said St John Neuman senior, Tyrone Howard.
For Maragos, his main reason for taking the job was not to win every game or get the highest ranking; it was to make an impact on these young athletes. “I want to be known as a coach that cared for my guys, that loved them, but was also very honest with them,” said Maragos. He knew what it was like to be in the shoes of these impressionable teenagers, and he wanted to be a part of their journey, finding that positive guidance through the pivotal years of high school.
Now entering the 2026 season, the Celtics have been thriving under the former Philadelphia Eagles’ leadership. The team has a 4-1 record as of right now and an explosive offense that has been putting up outstanding scoring against their opponents so far this season.
Maragos has completely reformed this south Florida school as he is trying to set these students up for as much success as possible after their time in high school. He has provided them with upgrades on their locker room, weight room, and even their football field. It is not only the equipment that is being improved for these students but the opportunities that are being presented as well. Maragos takes his college and NFL networks to attract division one scouts and high-profile transfers to the high school.
“I learn so much from these kids, the joy of life that they have, their young spirits. They have their whole lives ahead of them,” said Maragos. He is fully immersed in this chapter of his life and is taking it all in, as these high schoolers impact his life as much as he does in their lives.