Former NFL coach Jack Del Rio was taken into custody by Madison law enforcement for driving under the influence, prompting him to resign from his coaching position with the University of Wisconsin, as announced by head coach Luke Fickell on Monday.
Del Rio, who previously managed the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Oakland Raiders, joined the Wisconsin coaching staff in August, serving as a senior adviser to Fickell.
According to Madison police reports, Del Rio was arrested in the early hours of Friday morning for a first-time offense of operating a vehicle while intoxicated (OWI). Authorities stated that Del Rio’s vehicle collided with a stop sign, damaged a fence, and ultimately came to a halt in someone’s yard. When officers arrived at around 12:35 a.m., they found Del Rio attempting to walk away from the scene and exhibiting indications of intoxication.
Prior to joining Wisconsin, Del Rio spent four seasons as the defensive coordinator for the Washington Commanders, a tenure that ended when he was dismissed after only 12 games in the 2023 NFL season.
Throughout his 12-year career as a head coach in the NFL, Del Rio compiled a record of 93 wins and 94 losses. His coaching career includes tenures with the Jaguars from 2003 to 2011 and the Raiders from 2015 to 2017. He also enjoyed a successful playing career as a linebacker in the NFL from 1985 to 1995 following an impressive stint at the University of Southern California.
