Legendary Head Coach Bob Stoops Retires From Coaching Dallas Renegades and the Profession
If you’re waiting for the other shoe to drop, or perhaps another visor to be thrown, you can stop holding your breath. Bob Stoops, the man who turned the Oklahoma Sooners into a modern dynasty and gave spring football a serious credibility boost, is officially walking away.
Stoops announced on Monday that he is stepping down as head coach of the UFL’s Dallas Renegades and retiring from the sport entirely. And while we’ve technically said “goodbye” to Stoops before, this time the tone feels different. It feels final.
A Retirement Rooted In Gratitude
“After much thought and reflection, I’ve made the decision to retire from coaching and step away from the game of football,” Stoops said in a heartfelt statement. “Coaching has been one of the greatest honors of my life.”
At 65 years old, Stoops leaves the sideline with a resume that most coaches would trade their right arm for. While his recent stint in the UFL showed he still had the itch to compete, his legacy was cemented long before he put on a Renegades headset.
The Big Game Bob era
When you think of Stoops, you think of Norman, Oklahoma. You think of a defense that swarmed like angry wasps and an offense that scored at will.
Taking over the Sooners in 1999, Stoops didn’t just rebuild the program; he strapped a rocket to it. In 18 seasons, he amassed a staggering 191-48 record. He brought a National Championship home in 2000—the only one of his career, though he knocked on the door plenty of times afterward. He filled the trophy case with 10 Big 12 titles and coached a roster of players who became household names on Sundays.
He was the steady hand on the wheel in a sport that is often defined by chaos. Even when he initially stepped away in 2017, handing the keys to Lincoln Riley, he did it on his own terms. That is a rarity in the coaching profession.
One Last Ride In the Spring
Of course, Stoops couldn’t stay away completely. When the XFL (later the UFL) came calling, the opportunity to coach in Arlington without the grueling recruiting grind of the NCAA was too good to pass up.
His time with the Dallas Renegades was a mixed bag statistically, finishing with a 14-21 record over four seasons. But in true Stoops fashion, he still found a way to win when it mattered most, capturing the XFL championship in 2023 despite having a losing regular-season record. It was a weird, wild, and perfectly fitting capstone to a career defined by winning hardware.
And let’s not forget his brief, glorious cameo in 2021. After Riley bolted for USC, leaving the Sooners high and dry, Stoops stepped in as the interim coach for the Alamo Bowl. He led OU to a win over Oregon, reminded everyone why he’s a legend, and then handed the headset to Brent Venables. It was the ultimate “I’ve still got it” moment.
What Comes Next For Stoops?
Now, the focus shifts to family. Stoops noted that it’s the right time to “embrace the next chapter” of his life.
Football will miss him. He was a coach who balanced old-school toughness with a willingness to adapt to the modern spread offenses that now rule the world. He was intense, but he also carried a level of class that earned him respect from rivals across the country.
