Former Notre Dame star Tom Zbikowski brings wealth of experience as new St. Patrick head coach

Tom Zbikowski has done a lot in his life as a 39-year-old. Sometimes even he struggles to keep track of it all.

Here are some highlights, from before he was named St. Patrick’s football coach on Tuesday.

He earned All-American honors at Notre Dame.

He played in the NFL for five seasons.

He debuted his boxing career at Madison Square Garden.

He served in the Chicago Fire Department.

But no matter how many different types of moments he experienced, football always drew him back. Football might not have been what Zbikowski wanted to do, but it always felt like what he was meant to do.

“It seems like I’ve always fought how much I love football,” Zbikowski said. “But in the end, I really do love football that much.”

Because of that love of football, Zbikowski had to sacrifice time with another love in his life - his family. He bounced around the country as a college coach the past few years and missed being close to them in the Chicago area.

Zbikowski tried to find a balance for years. When an old Notre Dame connection presented him an opportunity to come back home and coach football, he jumped at it. Zbikowski accepted the head coach position at St. Patrick.

“I’m really excited,” Zbikowski said. “I don’t know if words can explain it, but the opportunity that St. Pat’s has provided for me, they’re definitely going to be getting my best. The kids are going to be getting my best.”

They’re also going to get a wealth of experience. After breaking a couple of program records at Buffalo Grove, Zbikowski went on to star at Notre Dame as a safety from 2003 to 2008. The Baltimore Ravens drafted Zbikowski in the third round of the 2008 draft.

He played 64 games in five seasons, four with the Ravens and one with the Indianapolis Colts. Zbikowski retired from professional football after he tried out at training camp for the Chicago Bears and was cut in 2013.

After some years away from the sport, Zbikowski got back into football as a coach. He split time between the Buffalo Grove Bills youth program and Lake Forest and St. Francis high schools. In 2022 he became a defensive quality control coach at Western Michigan and then a safeties coach at Brown the past couple seasons.

“Not only did I get to play at a high level at football, but I got to be around some of the best that ever played the game of football,” Zbikowski said. “It doesn’t make much sense to go through that type of pain and sacrifice. If you’re not sick of it and still love it, might as well still live in it, right? It keeps you young. It keeps you excited.”

But Zbikowski believes he’ll also bring valuable experiences outside of football. He had a boxing and martial arts career before and after his professional football career and spent time in Chicago’s fire department after playing football.

For Zbikowski, it didn’t matter whether he learned on the football field from coaches like Lake Forest’s Chuck Spangoli, Ravens head coach John Harbaugh, former Ravens defensive coordinator Chuck Pagano or his fellow firefighters. He feels prepared to be a first-time high school football head coach.

“I feel like all the things I’ve done in my life are for being a head football coach,” Zbikowski said. “It seems like all the stuff I’ve done is be a leader of a community, be a leader of a program, set a standard, make kids accountable, really push them to accomplish things they probably didn’t even think they could accomplish.”

St. Patrick athletic director Matt Reardon and the school’s administration agreed. The Shamrocks unexpectedly had an opening after former coach Luke Mertens stepped down around Thanksgiving.

“I’m really excited. I don’t know if words can explain it, but the opportunity that St. Pat’s has provided for me, they’re definitely going to be getting my best. The kids are going to be getting my best.”

—  Tom Zbikowski, St. Patrick head coach

St. Patrick president Dan Santucci, who played with Zbikowski at Notre Dame, reached out to his former teammate to see if he’d be interested in applying for the job. Once Zbikowski met with the school’s administration during the interview process, Reardon said Zbikowski’s passion to try his best at anything that he does on top of his football knowledge helped him stand out.

“I’m excited about his football knowledge and bringing it here,” Reardon said. “But all the non-football things that he’s going to bring to our program are going to be outstanding, and that’s what we’re really looking forward to.”

Zbikowski will officially start on Feb. 1 as he and his family move back home from Rhode Island. He plans to meet the team’s players and staff on Jan. 24 and then will address the St. Patrick community that evening during halftime of the boys basketball game.

The message will be clear for Zbikowski when those meetings take place. He’s seen and experienced a lot. And he’s ready to teach what he’s learned.

“So if you want to do it, come on around, and I’ll show you how to do it, simple as that,” Zbikowski said. “You want to win games and love to win state championships, but it’s more about molding and helping the next generation of young men.”