Benet announced Thursday afternoon that it has hired three-time Super Bowl champion running back James White as its next head football coach. Athletic director Scott Lawler confirmed the news.

White replaces Pat New, whose retirement was announced by the school earlier this month. A three-time Super Bowl champion with the New England Patriots, White played in 95 games and ran for 3,278 yards while scoring 25 touchdowns over eight NFL seasons.

“Coach White’s championship mindset in his playing career and his coaching career makes him a perfect fit for Benet Academy,” Lawler said. “He aligns perfectly with our school’s mission. He’s a passionate person and in the interview, he talked about how there were plenty of people who helped him achieve his dreams. Now, he’s ready to help young men achieve theirs. That blew me away.”

White, who helped the Patriots win six division titles, scored the game-winning touchdown in New England’s Super Bowl LI victory over the Atlanta Falcons. In college, White spent four seasons at Wisconsin, where he helped the Badgers win three Big Ten titles and reach three Rose Bowl games. White ran for 4,015 yards and scored 48 touchdowns during his four-year career at Wisconsin.

“He had a long playing career, he’s young and he comes with a lot of experience in the game of football,” Lawler said. “I think it’s going to energize both Benet football and Benet Academy.”

White, who went to St. Thomas Aquinas in Florida, served in a player personnel and student-athlete development role under Thomas Hammock at NIU in 2024. He then joined Bret Bielema’s staff as an assistant running backs coach at Illinois earlier this year. The Redwings, who compiled a 92-67 record in 16 seasons under New, finished with a 3-6 mark during the 2025 campaign.

“Pat is an outstanding person and a good friend of mine,” Lawler said. “What he did for our program is he put it on the map. He’s taken a lot of teams to the playoffs... In his tenure, he brought a lot of excitement to our program. We’re very grateful for what Pat has done and he’s staying on to help James with the transition.”