When Carson Palmer took over as head football coach at Santa Margarita Catholic High School, it was an interesting story and a chance for the Cardinals Ring of Honor member to get into teaching the roots of the game at the school that developed him into a Heisman winner and eventual No. 1 overall draft pick as quarterback.

"I enjoy seeing a kid make a mistake, then understand the why and fix it," Palmer told the Los Angeles Times. "You don't get that in the NFL. There, it's just a job. Here, there's joy in learning."

Now, don't get it twisted. Santa Margarita swims within the highbrow prep football circles in California. Which makes Palmer's first year, now completed, so amazing.

After the school was under .500 in 2024 at 5-7, Santa Margarita went 11-3 in 2025, winning not only the Trinity League, but also a CIF Southern Section Division 1 title and then won the CIF State Open division by routing perennial power De La Salle, 47-13.

During the season, Palmer's team also beat nationally ranked opponents Corona Centennial, Orange Lutheran, Mater Dei and Sierra Canyon (as well as De La Salle.)

Palmer also has a handful of assistants that played in the NFL, including his one-time Bengals wideout T.J. Houshmandzadeh (who has his own Cardinals connection as the pre-NFL trainer for wide receiver Michael Wilson.)

Palmer is such a family man I'm not sure he'd ever really want to do much more coaching above the high school level; once you get to college or the NFL, coaching eats up a crazy amount of time. But Palmer, one-time player great, has made an incredible first step forward as potential coaching great.