Chambana Sun

Three-time Super Bowl champion James White has been appointed as the assistant running backs coach for the Illinois football program. Head Coach Bret Bielema made the announcement, marking White's transition into coaching after an eight-year NFL career with the New England Patriots.

Bielema, who previously coached White at Wisconsin, praised him by saying, "Since first recruiting James out of St. Thomas Aquinas, he has continued to be an impressive person both on and off the football field." He added that White's leadership qualities and experiences in both college and professional football would benefit Illinois' running backs.

White expressed his gratitude for the opportunity: "I am thankful for the opportunity to work with Coach Bielema and his staff. I am excited to get to learn and grow with the coaches and players as we work to be the best we can be on a daily basis."

During his college years at Wisconsin from 2010-13, White contributed significantly to three Big Ten titles and three Rose Bowl appearances. He was named Big Ten Freshman of the Year in 2010 and accumulated 4,015 rushing yards and 48 touchdowns during his tenure. Notably, he set a record alongside Melvin Gordon for most rushing yards by teammates in a single season.

In addition to his rushing achievements, White set a school record for receiving yards by a running back with 670 yards. His all-purpose yardage totaled 5,450 yards by the end of his college career.

One of White's standout performances came during Wisconsin's victory over Nebraska in the 2012 Big Ten Championship game, where he accounted for five touchdowns.

Drafted by the Patriots in 2014, White played in 95 games over eight seasons. His NFL highlights include playing a pivotal role in New England's comeback win against Atlanta in Super Bowl LI.

After retiring from professional football, White became an analyst on national media platforms like Big Ten Network and Sirius XM NFL while also hosting The Money Down Podcast.