Jamaal Stewart is back in Metro Nashville as a high school football and he returns to the school where he developed his offensive playcalling skills.
Stewart has been hired as Hillsboro’s football coach, Metro Nashville Public Schools announced on April 2.
Stewart spent the 2025 TSSAA football season as the offensive coordinator at Pope John Paul II under Roc Batten. Prior to that move, Stewart was the coach at Centennial for two years.
“It’s an honor to return to a school district that helped mold me into the man and coach I am today,” Stewart said. “I learned countless valuable lessons from MNPS as a student, coach, and educator.
“I am truly honored and excited to accept the position of head football coach at Hillsboro High School. This is a special opportunity to lead a program with a proud tradition and to join a community that values both academics and athletics.”
Pope John Paul II was 3-8, losing to Boyd-Buchanan in the first round of the Division II-AA playoffs last November. Stewart’s offense averaged 27 points in the first six games of the season.
But he had his most successful stint leading the East Nashville program. He led the Eagles’ to back-to-back Class 3A state runner-up finishes in 2021 and 2022, losing to Alcoa both seasons. He was 27-11 in three seasons at the Metro Nashville school. East Nashville has since moved to 2A while Alcoa has moved up to 4A.
Stewart also returns to 5A football where he led Centennial in 2023 and 2024. He was17-8 during his time with the Cougars, reaching the 5A playoffs in both seasons, including a quarterfinal appearance in his first year (2023). He takes over a Hillsboro program that was led by Anthony Brown for five years. The Burros were 2-7 during Brown’s final season in 2025 and failed to win a Region 5-5A game.
Stewart spent three seasons as Hillsboro’s offensive coordinator (2017-2019) while Brown served as the defensive coordinator during that time. Both were part of the staff of former Hillsboro coach Maurice Fitzgerald.
Reach The Tennessean’s high school sports editor, George Robinson, at georgerobinsontheleafchronicle.com and on the X platform (formerly Twitter) @Cville_Sports.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Hillsboro football hires Jamaal Stewart as coach
