Art Briles hired to coach Dallas team in International Football Alliance

Former Baylor head coach Art Briles has landed a new head coaching job. Briles has been hired to lead the Dallas Pioneros of the International Football Alliance.

The IFA announced the hire of Briles Thursday night.

“IT’S OFFICIAL! The IFA is excited to announce former @BUFootball & @UHCougarFB head coach Art Briles as the new coach of the Dallas Pioneros!” the IFA tweeted out. “Coach Briles was named the @AP College Football Coach of the Year in 2013 after leading Baylor to a @Big12Conference championship!”

The league is set to begin play in June of 2024. It consists of six teams, with three in Mexico and three in the United States.

According to its website, the mission of the International Football Alliance is: “bridging the gap in international professional football by delivering the highest level of American Football within the locations of Mexico and the United States, implementing NFL-based standard rules of play, and creating an international alliance. Together with our team ownership, teams, players, and fans, we will work to build a unified and solid football ecosystem to grow American football in Mexico.”

Art Briles was a successful coach at Houston and Baylor, before being fired in 2015 as a result of the Baylor sexual assault scandal.

Prior to being dismissed, Briles was the head coach at Baylor from 2008-15. He led the Bears to a pair of Big 12 titles and was named the AP College Football Coach of the Year in 2013.

Before he was at Baylor, Briles was the head coach at Houston from 2003-07. He was 34-28 during his time leading the Cougars, including going 10-4 in 2006 as Houston won Conference USA that season.

For his college coaching career, Briles has a record of 65-37.

The Texas native has received coaching opportunities since the Baylor sexual assault scandal, although he has not coached a game at the college level.

In August of 2018, Briles was hired as the head coach of the Italian team Guelfi Firenze. He then spent two years as the head coach at Mount Vernon High School in Texas, going 20-6 in two seasons. In 2022, Briles was hired as the offensive coordinator at Grambling State, but after pushback due to the Baylor sexual assault scandal, he resigned after only four days.

Briles then returned to the Italian team Guelfi Firenze for the second time in 2022.

Now he is set to coach again in Texas for the Dallas Pioneros of the International Football Alliance.