BOSTON COLLEGE HIGH SCHOOL ANNOUNCES PAUL ZUKAUSKAS ’97 AS HEAD FOOTBALL COACH
BOSTON COLLEGE HIGH SCHOOL ANNOUNCES PAUL ZUKAUSKAS ’97 AS HEAD FOOTBALL COACH
Boston, Mass. (March 15, 2024): Boston College High School is excited to announce that Paul Zukauskas ’97 has been named head football coach. Zukauskas, a BC High alumnus and former Eagle captain, was a four-year starter at Boston College and went on to play five seasons in the National Football League before retiring in 2006.
“I would first like to thank Tom Conley, Principal Lewis, and President Regan for giving me the opportunity to return home to Boston College High School as head football coach and give back to the community that shaped me,” said Zukauskas. “It’s a chance to inspire the next generation and impart the lessons I’ve learned both on and off the field. I’m excited to contribute to the legacy of BC High football, foster a culture of excellence, and help young men achieve their dreams, just as this school helped me to achieve mine.”
A standout athlete on the BC High gridiron, Zukauskas earned both all-state and all-conference honors as a senior captain. Tallying 40 tackles that season, Zukauskas also earned All-American honors from Prep Star and USA Today. He was inducted into the BC High Hall of Fame in 2006.
Following his celebrated career on Morrissey Boulevard, Zukauskas continued to don maroon and gold at Boston College, where he was a four-year starting lineman and became the first freshman to start on the school’s offensive line in over 20 years. Zukauskas was named All-Big East Conference second-team selection as a junior. His senior year culminated by being elected captain and earning All-Big East Conference first-team selection; first-team All-America selection by the American Football Coaches Association and Rivals.com; and second-team All-American selection by the Walter Camp Football Foundation and The Sporting News. In 2016, Zukauskas was inducted into the Boston College Hall of Fame.
Upon graduating from Boston College, Zukauskas was drafted 203rd overall in the 2001 NFL draft by the Cleveland Browns. Throughout his five-year professional career – which included stints with the Browns and the San Francisco 49ers – Zukauskas appeared in 43 games.
“We are excited to welcome Paul back to the BC High community as our head football coach,” said Athletic Director Tom Conley ’08. “He is a proven and effective leader of young men who is genuinely invested in developing and mentoring his student athletes. Paul’s experience throughout all levels of athletics will allow our football players to learn from the best.”
“Based on the conversations we have shared with Paul, it is clear his values align with our BC High vision,” said Principal Adam Lewis. “His belief in our mission to educate young men of integrity both in the classroom and on the field will allow Paul to make a significant contribution to the formation of our students.”
In 2009, Zukauskas returned to Boston College as a graduate assistant and was part of the football coaching staff that led the Eagles to two bowl appearances. Zukauskas went on to serve as the head coach of the Lawrence Academy football team from 2011 – 2017. Under Zukauskas’ leadership, the Spartans compiled an impressive 44-13 record, including an undefeated 9-0 season in 2017, won four ISL championships, and captured the NEPSAC title in 2014, 2015, and 2017. In 2014, the team was also awarded the ISL Sportsmanship Award, which is given to the team that, in the eyes of its opponents, exemplifies the ideals of integrity, sportsmanship, and fair play.
“Paul proudly wore an Eagles uniform for eight years – four on Cotter Field and four at Alumni Stadium – and continually exemplifies Jesuit principles in his athletic and coaching pursuits,” said President Grace Cotter Regan. “BC High football has a long and storied legacy, and I am confident that Paul will continue that tradition for the next generation of players. I look forward to our program’s future with Paul at the helm.”
Zukauskas is also the founder and president of WePlayed Sports, the leader in AI-driven highlights in college sports. WePlayed Sports transforms sports viewership by offering instant, personalized highlight reels from games and matches across 14 sports, making unforgettable moments easily accessible to fans everywhere.
Throughout his athletic career, Zukauskas has embodied what it means to be a man for others, dedicating his time and resources to helping others in his communities. As a member of the Cleveland Browns, Zukauskas supported various local nonprofit organizations, including building a home for Habitat for Humanity, constructing a playground for the United Way’s Hometown Huddle program, and visiting children at the Cleveland Clinic Children’s Hospital and Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital. Following the death of his mother in 2003, Zukauskas, his father, and brother started The Anne Marie Zukauskas Fund, which provides additional resources to students at Quincy Public Schools, particularly those at Broad Meadows Middle School, where Mrs. Zukauskas served as principal. Zukauskas also serves as a board member of Project D.E.E.P., the Dorchester Educational Enrichment Program, a nonprofit that aims to foster the educational, athletic, and social growth and development of middle school children of all races, creeds, and ethnic backgrounds throughout the Dorchester community.
A Weymouth native, Zukauskas currently resides in Milton with his wife Claire and their three children Molly, Maeve, and Michael.
About Boston College High School: Boston College High School is a Jesuit, Catholic, college-preparatory school for young men in grades 7 to 12. Founded in 1863, the school enrolls more than 1,400 students from more than 100 communities in eastern Massachusetts. For more information, please visit bchigh.edu.