'I've been blessed': Farragut football coach Eddie Courtney retiring after 28 seasons

Eddie Courtney occasionally had Adam Fulton go with the linebackers during practice. 

‘“I’m a quarterback,’” Courtney recalled Fulton saying incredulously back when he played football for Farragur from 2013-17. 

Courtney used those instances to help the starting quarterback continue to get tougher as a player. It was one of the countless ways he helped Fulton serve as a leader and eventually lead Farragut to its first and only state championship in 2016. 

“That kid gave everything for four years,” Courtney said. He gave everything he could to our program. I mean, I have many, many stories like that.”

Since first being hired as an assistant coach at Farragut in 1977 and taking over the program in 1996, Courtney has witnessed numerous players transform the same way. 

Courtney, a two-time cancer survivor, realized that he had given all he could as a coach for Farragut, announcing his retirement on Wednesday. 

“I knew that those 12, 13-hour days starting to add up on me a little bit, I knew it was time to change,” the 70-year-old Courtney told Knox News. “It's a great program, great community, great everything about it I can’t complain. I've been blessed to be in a super place and it’s time for somebody to add a few new things to it, (bring) more energy to the program.”

Renowned football coach

Courtney closes his career with 204 career victories, which is fifth among active coaches in the state. He has 28 playoff wins and has been named region coach of the year four times.

He was selected as the PrepXtra Coach of the Year in 2016 and received the Greater Knoxville Sports Hall of Fame Pat Summitt Ignite Award in 2017.  

In December 2021, Courtney was inducted into the 2020 class of Tennessee Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame. He has coached over 200 college signees, 47 all-state players, six Mr. Football finalists, and six NFL players. 

In his last game, Farragut beat Maryville 13-10 on a game-winning field goal.

Before joining Farragut, he spent time on college staffs at Mars Hill, East Tennessee State, and Tennessee. He had never gone to lead another high school football program.

Courtney’s football accolades are not the items that have made him a figure in Knoxville football that people respect

“I've never been one to count the wins or how many guys played college football,” Courtney said. “The relationships is what meant more me than anything.”

Courtney said he appreciates hearing when former players get married or have successes in their professional lives. He enjoys explaining to his wife how he remembers a former player’s name and jersey number when they approach him. Courtney’s triumphs in the sport are satisfying but don’t outshine the human element. 

“Those wins and stuff, championships will come,” Courtney said. “If you start looking at those things and not looking at the human being and individual people, it's not gonna be fun because that's stuff not going to matter to you.

“When I see them be successful that's what makes me happy you.”

Two-time cancer survivor 

The job of a high school coach is not always straightforward. Courtney’s had difficult situations where tragedies with players or their parents have occurred. Courtney himself has faced two different bouts with cancer − and won twice - bigger than any football victory. 

He battled Hodgkin's disease in 2005 and never missed a game or practice. In 2020 he continued coaching after he was diagnosed with prostate cancer and returned to the team four days after surgery. 

“I (feel) very fortunate to be able to be a two-time cancer survivor and never take that for granted,” Courtney said. 

He said his perseverance was rooted in the most important things to him: faith, family and lastly his passion for football.  

“It was a challenge,” Courtney said. “Football was the thing that gave me a cause to get up every morning. Even when I was going through chemo and radiation. It was kind of thing that connected me to just push through it. And I think that God used that as an example … to try to encourage other people that might be going through the same thing or similar things medically or whatever.”

What’s next

Courtney’s retirement doesn’t mean he won’t be around the Farragut community. Outside of elevating his time spent with his family, he still has goals. 

“Number one is that I'm gonna try spend more time with family and my friends,” Courtney said. “But also I’m gonna continue to give to this school just give me I just can't walk away after all these years. I'll serve some kind of capacity maybe like director of football operations or relations.”

He said there are a few major projects such as the facility upgrades he wants to help institute. He will also enjoy time off the sidelines and experience Farragut football as a fan where he can spend time with former players and friends. 

Courtney said he will gladly continue to be a resource for coaches who ever need advice or help in some form. 

“I want to stay around the game that part but it's time for me just not to be on the sidelines anymore,” Courtney said.

March 22 is when Farragut will announce the next coach before spring practice gets going. 

Courtney's advice: “Just be yourself add some energy to this program … It's about leading these boys to greatness and helping them be who they want to be.”

Toyloy Brown III is a Knox News sports reporter. Email toyloy.brown@knoxnews.com. On X, formerly Twitter, @TJ3rd_.