Osceola High School will pay tribute to one of its most famous alumni Friday when it officially renames its football stadium in honor of Markus Paul prior to its game with Dr. Phillips.
Paul, who was an NFL assistant coach for over 20 years with New Orleans, New England, New York Jets and Giants and Dallas Cowboys, passed away unexpectedly at the Cowboys’ training facility Nov. 25, 2020 at age 54.
“This is something that we have been talking about and planning for since his tragic passing,” Osceola Athletic Director Jim Bird said of the honor. “Markus was both an incredible athlete and a man of outstanding character, humility, and service to not only Osceola High School and Kissimmee, but to all of the communities where he lived. Despite all of his accomplishments and achievements he gained after leaving Osceola High, he always remembered and appreciated where he came from. It is truly fitting on Friday night that our home field becomes Markus Paul Stadium.”
During the ceremony, Paul’s family will be presented with his Osceola High number “10” jersey and new stadium signage and banners will be unveiled. Many former teammates and coaches will attend. “Even after he went on to bigger and better things, including playing in the NFL and winning multiple Super Bowl rings as a coach, he always wanted to be kept up with what was going on with Osceola football,” Bird said.
Former Osceola head coach Ken Baker coached Paul and said it’s a fitting tribute.
“It’s going to be an incredibly emotional night for all of us who coached, played with, or knew Markus,” Baker said. “The most important thing to remember is that for as great as a football player he was, he was a much greater person. Markus was an incredibly approachable and positive man, who always put others ahead of himself. He was and remains a beacon of class and dignity; while remaining a great example of what a positive role model an athlete could and should be.”
Former OHS Coach Doug Nichols said Paul still had a tremendous impact on OHS’ program decades after his career.
“For many years, whether it was through financial donations or giving his time, he was always there for this team,” he said. “We have a saying around here, ‘Once a Kowboy, always a Kowboy’ and that perfectly describes Markus’ legacy.”
Paul quarterbacked the Kowboys’ 1982 team that made it to the state finals against Titusville. He was also a starter on Ed Kershner’s Osceola basketball team that won the state championship with a perfect 37-0 record.
Paul signed with the University of Syracuse and switched to safety, where he became an immediate star. He was a 1988 All-American and still holds the Syracuse record for career interceptions (19). He would later be named as a first team member of the Syracuse All-Century Team.
The Chicago Bears drafted Paul in the fourth round of the 1989 NFL draft. In 71 games from 1989-93 he had seven interceptions. In perhaps his best game, he picked off the Minnesota Vikings’ Wade Wilson twice in a 10-6 1991 season-opening victory at Soldier Field.
After his NFL playing career ended, Paul turned to coaching. He became an assistant strength and conditioning coach with the New Orleans Saints in 1998 and later served similar roles with the New England Patriots, New York Jets and New York Giants. In 2018 he was appointed head strength and conditioning coach at the Dallas Cowboys, where he worked until his passing. He earned five Super Bowl rings in his career, winning three with the New England Patriots and two with the New York Giants. He was respected and widely beloved by the players and staff at each stop.
“He earned the players respect and attention because he cared so much and was a naturally gifted communicator — both on the personal and professional levels,” Dallas Cowboy Head Coach Mike McCarthy said after Paul’s passing. “He handled every situation, sometimes with a smile and a pat on the back, and sometimes with tough love. He had innate toughness in a job that requires that quality, and he was admired throughout the NFL by his peers and the players he coached. It was a privilege to work with him as a coach and laugh with him as a friend.”
The Markus Paul Foundation was established after his passing and is already making an immediate impact on both Osceola High School and the Kissimmee Community through a golf tournament that was held last spring. For more information, visit www. markuspaulfoundation.
“For many years, whether it was through financial donations or giving his time, he was always there for this team.”
— DOUG NICHOLS
Former OHS Coach Doug Nichols
