Getty Former NFL wide receiver Derrick Alexander with the Kansas City Chiefs in 2001.
Before Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce, a wide receiver named Derrick Alexander held the Kansas City Chiefs’ single season record for receiving yards with a total of 1,391 in 2000. That number stood until Hill shattered it with 1,479 receiving yards in 2018, and then Kelce later moved into second place in 2020.
Alexander popped up in the local news cycle this week as Kansas City’s own Avila University announced that the ex-NFL wideout would be taking over as the head coach of their football program. “Welcome back to the Eagle Empire,” the university tweeted.
Former @Chiefs and @UMich standout Derrick Alexander (@CoachDA82) named Avila University head football coach. “I am estatic about the opportunity. I’m ready to get to work!” Welcome back to the #EagleEmpire #OurAvila Read more:
Within the corresponding article, writer Darren Roubinek shared a quote from Alexander, who voiced: “I am ecstatic about the opportunity to be a head coach. I have so many things that I want to do, but I know it’s going to take time. I am ready to get to work!”
Derrick Alexander’s NFL & Chiefs Career, Accomplishments
A former first-round pick of the Cleveland Browns in 1994, Alexander only played four seasons for KC as a starter from 1998 through 2001. This partnership finished as the most productive stretch of his NFL career, with 3,685 receiving yards as a Chief — which currently ranks 11th all-time in the franchise’s history books.
The Michigan product also won the team’s Derrick Thomas Most Valuable Player Award in 2000, and was nominated for the NFL’s prestigious Walter Payton Man of the Year Award that year. He did most of his damage with former college teammate and quarterback, Elvis Grbac, under head coach Gunter Cunningham. Later, Dick Vermeil replaced Cunningham with Trent Green ousting Grbac in 2001.
Unfortunately, an Achilles injury eventually slowed Alexander’s stint with the Chiefs which ended after 2001 — and his NFL career didn’t last long after that either. The veteran WR spent one season with the Minnesota Vikings in 2002 before tearing his ACL. After a failed comeback with the Vikes, he eventually returned to Kansas City on a one-day contract to retire with the Chiefs organization in 2005.
“Even after the conclusion of his playing career, Alexander has stayed closely connected to Kansas City, where his family has resided for more than two decades,” Roubinek detailed within the Avila University press release. “Alexander has been part of the Chiefs Ambassadors since 2009 and was selected for the NFL’s Bill Walsh Diversity Coaching Fellowship for three straight years, which enabled him to ply his trade as an assistant coach during training camp.”
Ex-Chiefs WR Derrick Alexander Has Worked His Way Up the Coaching Ranks at Avila University
Alexander has been with Avila as a member of their coaching staff since 2016, so this is really a promotion stemming from hard work, not a figurehead position because of his playing career.
Over that span, he has worked as the assistant coach, pass game coordinator, wide receivers coach, academic coordinator, and director of football operations according to Roubinek.
“We are very excited to welcome Derrick back to Avila University as our head football coach,” Avila University Director of Athletics Shawn Summe stated (via Roubinek). “Derrick has the personality, work ethic, and football knowledge to continue to grow our football program, but more importantly is committed to helping our football players grow off the field as much as on the field. Derrick really impressed everyone he spent time with at Avila with his genuine approach to coaching and leading young men.”
Alexander provided the final word: “In my final season as an assistant at Avila, we were 7-3, which was the best record in school history [at the time]. I am fortunate to be taking over a team that has just won the conference and made its first playoff appearance. I am looking forward to keeping the momentum going.”