Former Georgia All-SEC running back Robert Edwards is the new head coach at Arlington Christian of Fairburn, a member of the Georgia Independent School Association.
It will be the first coaching job for Edwards, an all-state player at Washington County who went on to stardom at Georgia and the NFL.
"I get an opportunity to stay around the game that I've played for ... probably over 20 years now," Edwards said. "I'm definitely excited about the opportunity to give back to young kids and give them the opportunity to develop and grow.''
Arlington Christian has finished 2-5, 9-2 and 6-5 in three seasons of varsity football in the GISA. One of the school's rivals is Heritage School, which recently hired former East Coweta coach Danny Cronic out of retirement.
Arlington Christian headmaster Chris King said Edwards' Christian faith and testimony will be assets for his school.
Edwards' NFL career was nearly ended by a freak injury in a rookie flag football game in Hawaii after his rookie season. He returned to the NFL four years later to play a season with the Miami Dolphins. He then played three seasons in the Canadian Football League with the Montreal Alouettes and Toronto Argonauts. He twice played in CFL all-star games.
"Doctors told me I would never play again and that I would never walk again, and if I could walk, I would use a cane for the rest of my life," Edwards said in this video produced by Arlington Christian about Edwards' hire. "It was at that moment that I talked with God and made up my mind I was going to make it back and prove all those doctors wrong, and that if he helped me, I would use it to glorify him and show people that if you put your trust in God, work hard and just have faith, then anything is possible."
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