An Introduction to the Houston Roughnecks! - Update

Added to our program is J.P. Cortez, Executive Director at MD Anderson Family YMCA.  J.P. will update us on the exciting things happening at our community "Y"!

We are thrilled to introduce the Houston Roughnecks of the XFL with living legend, Head Coach June Jones and highly pedigreed Team President Brian Michael Cooper to Northside!  Reserve your seat(s) or table(s) now!

ABOUT COACH JUNE JONES

June Jones comes to the XFL after two seasons with the CFL’s Hamilton Tiger-Cats. Hired as the team’s assistant head coach in 2017, he was elevated to interim head coach after an 0-8 start that year. The Tiger-Cats went 6-4 under Jones, and he was appointed head coach for 2018, and took the team to the second round of the playoffs. In December, he stepped down to become associate head coach and offensive coordinator, clearing the way for the promotion of his successor.

Jones is entering his 35th season as a football coach at the high school, college and professional levels. In addition to the Tiger-Cats, he has held head coaching positions at Southern Methodist University (2008-14), the University of Hawaii (1999-2007), and with the NFL’s San Diego Chargers (Interim – 1998) and Falcons (1994-96). While leading SMU, Jones was named Conference USA Coach of the Year by The Sporting News in 2009, and Western Athletic Conference Coach of the Year in 1999, 2006 and 2007 while the head coach at Hawaii. In his first season as head coach of the Rainbow Warriors, he led the team to a 9-4 record and a share of the WAC championship. Having finished the prior season 0-12, it was the most significant single-season turnaround in NCAA football history.

After three seasons as the Falcons’ offensive coordinator (1991-93), Jones was named head coach in 1994. Despite taking over one of the NFL’s worst teams, and having no first or second-round draft picks in his first two years, the Falcons made the playoffs.

In addition to his three seasons as an NFL assistant coach in Atlanta, Jones served as Detroit Lions’ quarterbacks and wide receivers coach (1989-90) and Houston Oilers’ quarterbacks coach (1987-88). During his 13 years as a coach at the professional level, he worked with Hall of Fame quarterbacks Brett Favre (1991), Warren Moon (1987-88) and Jim Kelly (1984).

Jones began his coaching career in 1983 as quarterbacks coach at Hawaii. After a season, he moved to the United States Football League as wide receivers coach of the Houston Gamblers (1984) and offensive coordinator of the Denver Gold (1985). In 1986, Jones was a co-offensive coordinator of the CFL’s Ottawa Rough Riders, joining the team after the USFL folded.

Before coaching, Jones played quarterback for the Falcons for five years (1977-81) and the Argonauts for one season (1982). A native of Portland, Oregon, he signed with the Falcons as a free agent out of Portland State University after earning All-America honors, leading the nation in passing and total offense.

ABOUT BRIAN MICHAEL COOPER

Brian Michael Cooper is President of the Houston Roughnecks. The Houston Roughnecks will take the field in February 2020 and play its home games at TDECU Stadium. 

Prior to joining the Roughnecks, Cooper was a law partner in the Houston and Denver offices of Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith LLP and a member of the firm’s Entertainment, Media and Sports Practice. 

Cooper has over 20 years of experience as a sports attorney, agent, executive and advisor, and is a four-time Super Lawyers Texas Rising Star.  Before returning to his law practice, Cooper served as Director of Sports Programming for DISH Network. Cooper also served as Senior Associate Athletic Director at Rice University and President of the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, the NBA G-League affiliate of the Houston Rockets. During his tenure with the Vipers, Cooper negotiated the first single-team hybrid affiliation agreement between an NBA and NBA G-League team, an alliance that culminated in the Vipers’ 2010 NBA G-League championship. 

Prior to joining the Vipers, Cooper worked as an attorney at Haynes Boone LLP in Houston. For his work in Houston sports, he received the Outstanding Service Award from the Houston Bar Association’s (HBA) Entertainment and Sports Law (ESL) Section in 2009 and 2012, along with the HBA ESL Chairman’s Award in 2014.  Cooper began his legal career at Proskauer LLP in New York, where his clients included the NBA, NHL, ATP, and MLS.

A graduate of Cornell University, Harvard Kennedy School, and Columbia Law School, Cooper has served on the boards of Texas Accountants and Lawyers for the Arts and Interfaith Ministries of Greater Houston.  An avid runner, he also has completed five New York City Marathons and two Houston Aramco Half Marathons. 

Cooper lives in The Woodlands, Texas with his wife Jacqueline and their daughter Kendall.