Columbia (Ala.) Football, winless since 2015, hires former Auburn, NFL WR Sammie Coates as new head coach

Columbia (Ala.) High announced on Wednesday that former Auburn and NFL wide receiver Sammie Coates has been hired as the school’s new head football coach.

Fondly remembered for his time on The Plains, Coates is now tasked with turning around what’s been one of the worst programs in the nation across the last decade. Columbia has now lost 91 games in a row following an 0-10 season in 2024.

The last time the Eagles found victory was on Oct. 16, 2015, when they defeated Ardmore 34-16. The following nine seasons have been filled with nothing but losses, building the longest losing streak in the country.

“Sammie Coates is a man of character, integrity, and he is committed to making a difference in the lives of our student athletes,” Dr. Thomas Jones, Principal of Columbia High, said in a press release. “We are proud to welcome him to Columbia.”

Coates was a key member of the 2013 Auburn team that claimed the SEC Championship and made an appearance in the final BCS National Championship in January of 2014. Across three seasons, Coates caught 82 passes for 1,757 yards and 13 touchdowns.

He was then selected in the third round of the 2015 NFL Draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers. He played parts of four seasons for the Steelers, Cleveland Browns and Houston Texans. He also spent time with the Kansas City Chiefs and had stints in the XFL and CFL.

Coates does bring some coaching experience to Columbia, as he’s previously been on staff at Jensen Beach (Fla.) High, as well as Ohio Northern University and most recently the University of Virginia’s College at Wise.

“My goal is to not only guide these young men to be just great football players, but to be great people,” Coates said.

Columbia is yet to make the postseason across its 17 seasons on the field. Coates will begin his quest to change that in 2025.