Mike O'Neill

Mike O'Neill is a first-time author with his debut memoir, Don't Back Down.Following a decade in sales & marketing, the Tennessee native turned his attention to his true passion of mentoring youth through football coaching and teaching business and marketing classes. O'Neill coached middle school football for eight years before transitioning to high school football, first at Christian Brothers High then at Collierville High, where he spent the last seven years of his 20-year tenure as Head...See more

Mike O'Neill is a first-time author with his debut memoir, Don't Back Down.Following a decade in sales & marketing, the Tennessee native turned his attention to his true passion of mentoring youth through football coaching and teaching business and marketing classes. O'Neill coached middle school football for eight years before transitioning to high school football, first at Christian Brothers High then at Collierville High, where he spent the last seven years of his 20-year tenure as Head Football Coach. In 2017, O'Neill was named the Region 7-6A Coach of the Year. Due to his first cancer diagnosis and search for treatment, O'Neill retired from coaching in 2018. That same year he was named the 2018 Collierville Man of the Year and was a Courage Thru Cancer honoree. He also received the Mario Reed Courage Award from the National Football Foundation and College Football Hall of Fame. Despite another stage 4 diagnosis in 2020, O'Neill brings his "A" game through his faith and determination to overcome adversity. He graduated from the University of Memphis with a BA in Business Management and later pursued his MA in Education to commit to his dream of coaching. O'Neill lives in Piperton, TN, with his beloved Beth and French bulldog Joey. When he's not chasing the latest cure for cancer, he enjoys traveling and spending time with family. See less