Panini Senior Bowl Announces Head Coaches for 2026 Game

The Panini Senior Bowl has its head coaches set for 2026, with Eagles defensive line coach Clint Hurtt leading the National Team and Saints assistant head coach Joel Thomas taking over the American Team in Mobile.

MOBILE, Alabama — The Panini Senior Bowl today announced that Philadelphia Eagles senior defensive assistant/defensive line coach Clint Hurtt will serve as the National Team Head Coach, while New Orleans Saints associate head coach/running backs coach Joel Thomas will lead the American Team at the 2026 Panini Senior Bowl, set for Saturday, January 31, at Hancock Whitney Stadium on the campus of the University of South Alabama.

The game will kick off at 2:30 p.m. ET (1:30 p.m. CT) and will be broadcasted live on NFL Network and SiriusXM. All three days of practice during Senior Bowl week will also be on NFL Network, SiriusXM, and ESPN providing fans and scouts nationwide an in-depth look at the top prospects eligible for the 2026 NFL Draft.

This marks the fourth consecutive year the Panini Senior Bowl has utilized the league’s “Coach Up” format, which places NFL coordinators and assistant coaches into elevated leadership roles. Head coaches and general managers from non-playoff teams and Wild Card participants nominated assistant coaches, with final selections made by NFL league office executives in conjunction with the General Managers Advisory Committee.

Hurtt enters the week following his second season with the Eagles after previously spending seven seasons with the Seattle Seahawks, including two as defensive coordinator. He brings extensive experience at both the NFL and collegiate levels and is widely regarded for his leadership and defensive expertise.

Thomas, a longtime and highly respected coach across the league, returned to the Saints in 2025 as associate head coach after previously spending nine seasons with the organization. A former standout running back at the University of Idaho, Thomas has built a strong reputation for player development and mentorship throughout his 25-year coaching career.

“I’m honored to be chosen as the American Team head coach for the 2026 Senior Bowl. This is the elite college football all-star game that has featured some of the top players in the sport as they look to take that next step in their careers. It gives players from schools of all sizes the opportunity to compete, work under the tutelage of NFL coaches and receive great exposure to general managers, scouts asnd coaches. I had a great experience in Mobile in 2025 as the American Team offensive coordinator and look forward to getting to know and work with these outstanding young men throughout the week in making this a great experience for them.”

“We are thrilled to welcome Clint Hurtt and Joel Thomas as our head coaches for the 2026 Panini Senior Bowl. Both coaches are highly respected throughout the league and bring tremendous leadership, football knowledge, and teaching ability. Their impact on our players and coaching staffs throughout the week will be invaluable as these prospects prepare for the next step in their careers.”

The Panini Senior Bowl remains the premier pre-draft all-star event, serving as the first step in the NFL Draft process. The game is the longest continuously running college all-star game in football, with a legacy spanning more than 75 years in Mobile, Alabama.

The Panini Senior Bowl is widely recognized as the premier college football all-star game and the official first step in the NFL Draft process. For more than 76 years, Mobile, Alabama has proudly hosted this historic event, the longest continually running all-star game in football. Each year, the Senior Bowl draws more than 900 NFL personnel—including decision-makers from all 32 teams—and over 1,100 members of the national media. The game’s impact is unmatched: the 2025 NFL Draft featured 106 Senior Bowl alumni, accounting for 40 percent of all selections. At the start of the NFL season, 561 former Senior Bowl players appeared on initial 53-man rosters, representing one-third of the entire NFL and 23 former players appeared on the NFL’s annual Top 100 list. This remarkable success underscores the Senior Bowl’s reputation as the proving ground for future NFL stars. This year’s game will be held on Saturday, January 31, 2026, at 1:30 p.m. CT at South Alabama’s Hancock Whitney Stadium.