HARRISBURG, Pa. — After 21 years on the sidelines, Joe Headon is no longer the football coach at Susquehanna Township High School.
The school district announced it is posting the position of head football coach for the 2025-26 season.
Headon is welcome to apply to get his job back, the district said. The district did not offer specifics on why it was opening the position.
"We are grateful to Coach Headen for his years of service and the positive impact he has had on our football program," the school district said in a statement. "Coach Headen is welcome to apply for the position, along with other candidates, as part of the district’s commitment to ensuring a thorough selection process.
"We appreciate the support of our community as we take this step forward and remain focused on providing the best opportunities for our student-athletes."
A petition circulated on change.org calling for Headon to be retained as football coach at the school has garnered more than 900 signatures since it was posted.
“I’m hoping there is enough support from the community that the board would reconsider,” Headen told Pennlive.
In his 23 years on the sidelines at Susquehanna Township, Headon won 124 games and led the Indians to 13 District 3 playoff appearances.
This past season, the Indians went 8-3, finished second in the Mid-Penn Colonial division, and reached the District 3 Class Class 4A playoffs, falling 47-19 to Twin Valley in the quarterfinals.
In 2013, Headon gave a three-minute pregame speech to his players, entitled "Hold the Rope."
The inspirational speech was covered by the NFL Network as part of its pregame coverage of Super Bowl LVII.
Headon, a Social Studies teacher, is a graduate of Bishop McDevitt High School and Bloomsburg University.
