Jim Fassel

Head Coach

In his first season as Head Coach of the Las Vegas Locos, former NFL Coach of the Year Jim Fassel successfully led the Locos to the first UFL Championship title. Under his guidance, the Locos finished with a 5-2 record in the Premiere season and defeated the Florida Tuskers 20-17 in the championship game. In his second season, Fassel defeated the Florida Tuskers for a second time in the 2010 UFL Championship Game, with a final score of 23-20 As head coach of the New York Giants, Fassel resurrected the career of quarterback Kerry Collins and received acclaim for his playoff guarantee in the 2000 season, during which he led the Giants to an improbable Super Bowl appearance.

Fassel has a long record of offensive successes and has tutored other prominent quarterbacks including Phil Simms, Boomer Esiason, Jeff Hoestetler and John Elway. Prior to becoming the Giants head coach, Fassel was the team’s offensive coordinator and served in the same capacity with the Arizona Cardinals, Denver Broncos and Oakland Raiders.

Fassel was also the offensive coordinator to the Baltimore Ravens for the 2004 and 2005 seasons. He began his coaching career as an offensive coordinator at the University of Utah and Stanford University before being elevated to head coach at Utah.

Fassel played quarterback at USC and later transferred to Long Beach State. He was selected in the 7th round of the 1972 NFL Draft by the Chicago Bears and also played with the San Diego Chargers, Houston Oilers and the Hawaiians of the WFL.

Fassel took a break from coaching when he was hired as color commentator on NFL Sunday Night Game broadcasts for the Westwood One Radio Network and also served as a color analyst on ESPN.

The recipient of numerous awards including the 2000 NFL Coach of the Year by the Sporting News, NJ Sports Writers Association and the Victor Awards Pro Football Coach of the Year, Fassel has also been honored for his work off of the field. He received the Catholic Big Brothers of the Year Award (1998), the Fresh Air Fund Man of the Year (1999) and the Long Beach State University Distinguished Alumnus Award (2001).

Fassel is a proud father of four boys and one girl and in 2001 he received the National Father’s Day Father of the Year Award.