Christian Hackenberg is returning to a New Jersey sideline.
The former Jets quarterback will coach his old position at Winslow Township High School in Atco. The program welcomed the former Penn State star on Wednesday.
Let’s take time give a warm welcome to Christian Hackenberg a former All-American, NFL QB and Penn State Alum. Hackenberg will be joining us as the QB coach here at Winslow Twp. @chackenberg1 pic.twitter.com/JnbTAwuBlk
— Winslow Twp HS Football (@winslowtwpfb) March 3, 2021
Per The Athletic’s Connor Hughes, Hackenberg moved to South Jersey shortly after the Jets made him a second-round pick in 2016. Despite the high selection and success in college, Hackenberg never appeared in a regular season game for New York or any other NFL team.
He spent two seasons with Gang Green before being traded to the Raiders for a conditional seventh-round pick. He spent less than a month in Oakland before being waived. From there, Hackenberg signed with the Eagles, with whom he spent the 2018 preseason before catching on with the Bengals practice squad. He was released by Cincinnati that November.
Hackenberg’s football journey continued with the Memphis Express of the now-defunct Alliance of American Football. He eventually lost his starting job to fellow ex-NFL QB Zach Mettenberger. The AAF shutdown in April 2019.
Hackenberg, now only 26, announced in June 2020 that he would try his hand at baseball. It is unclear if he garnered any professional interest or if he still plans to pursue the sport.
Hackenberg won’t be the first ex-Jet with a connection to Winslow Township. Former Jets running back Shonn Greene played some of his high school football there before enjoying a six-year NFL career with New York and Tennessee.
