One of the Winningest Football Coaches in History, J.T. Curtis
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NEW ORLEANS From Bienville to Bourbon Street to bounce. 300 moments that make New Orleans unique. WHAT HAPPENED J.T. Curtis 1718 ~ 2018 began coaching football at John Curtis Christian High 300 School in 1969. TRICENTENNIAL Curtis, son of John Cur- J.T. Curtis coaches One of the tis, who founded John Cur- at the tis Christian High School in Mandeville winningest football High 1962, has more than 550 wins, Jamboree in coaches in history, 26 state championships and August. 13 perfect seasons since be- J.T. Curtis, works ginning coaching the team in 1969. He has won 90 percent out of the modest of his games. He was twice Christian high school named National Coach of the Year by USA Today and has in River Ridge. been inducted into national, high school and state football THE NEW ORLEANS ADVOCATE PHOTOS halls of fame. He is also the J.T. Curtis in front of the school’s new trophy case in 2015. J.T. Curtis headmaster of the school and John Curtis speaks with his its athletic director. Though Christian team in 2010 at and the Superdome his father passed away in Rummel during the 2A 2005, before Hurricane Ka- high state champi- schools onship game trina, the family, including played each against Evangel J.T. Curtis’ brothers and sis- other in football for Christian Acad- ters and their children, still emy of Shreve- the second port. Curtis lost operate the school. The high time in the game, but school’s football team was 2015. won the champi- Rummel onship the next the first in the region to start won the three years. practicing after Hurricane matchup 24-10. Katrina, even before electric- ity was turned back on. One John Curtis alumnus, of the team’s most famous Joe McKnight, players, Joe McKnight, played graduated in 2007 and went on to play at the University of Southern for the University of California and then the New Southern California and then the New York Jets. Other players that York Jets and the went on to the NFL include Kansas City Chiefs. He was killed in Reggie Dupard, Chris How- 2016. ard and Jonathan Wells..