Former San Diego Chargers linebacker Stephen Cooper has coached his son Kye since he was 5 years old. Coached him in flag football and tackle. Coached him at St. Augustine High School and now at San Diego High.
And from an early age, father drilled a lesson into his son.
“Don’t let people call you ‘Coop’ or ‘Little Coop,’” Stephen told his son. “You introduce yourself as Kye. You’re your own individual. I don’t want you to be in my shadow.”
Added Stephen Cooper, who played for the Chargers from 2003 to 2011: “I want him to create his own lane.”
Kye King Cooper is 17 years old now, a 6-foot-1, 194-pound junior for the Cavers. And while he’s blessed with his father’s athletic genetics, Kye is indeed creating a name for himself. He started at safety as a freshman at St. Augustine, was fourth on the team in tackles and helped Saints win a San Diego Section Division 1 championship.
“He was exceptional, playing ahead of his years,” said former St. Augustine coach Ron Gladnick.
When Gladnick was fired after the 2023 season, more than 15 Saints players transferred to Cathedral Catholic. Not wanting to commute so far and wanting to play on both sides of the ball, Kye Cooper transferred to San Diego High.
On the first play of his sophomore season against Montgomery, Cooper fielded the opening kickoff at the 10 and didn’t stop running until he crossed the goal line, a 90-yard kickoff return for a touchdown.
Cooper scored nine touchdowns last season — five rushing, one receiving and three on kick returns. He was third on the team in tackles and was named a second-team All-CIF player.
“He caught a screen pass and took it 50 yards to the house last year,” said Crawford coach Matt Marquez. “Then he returned a punt for a touchdown. He’s explosive. Great vision. Great ball skills.”
San Diego High’s Kye Cooper, left, runs through drills during practice at Balboa Stadium on Wednesday, Sept. 3, 2025 in San Diego, CA. (Meg McLaughlin / The San Diego Union-Tribune)
Two weeks ago, Cooper opened the 2025 season in style, catching 10 passes for 182 yards and two touchdowns as a receiver and making seven tackles at safety.
After a bye in Week 2, the Cavers host Otay Ranch on Friday night.
Stephen Cooper is San Diego High’s defensive coordinator. He works with the linebackers, so he’s not Kye’s position coach on either side of the ball.
As for their father-son, coach-player relationship, San Diego High head coach Syd Reed, himself a father of two teenagers, said: “They have a good, loving relationship.”
Said Kye: “I love my father being my coach,” while admitting it “sometimes can be a hassle.”
If Kye or the team sometimes has a poor practice, he said his father might say, “Oh, c’mon. You’ve got to do better.”
But he said his father does an excellent job of encouraging him, pushing him without being overbearing.
“He’s a very strong coach,” Kye said. “He’ll push you to your limits, to know where you can be in the future. He wants to see you do great things.”
Stephen said he likes coaching his son.
“But I have mixed feelings,” he said. “I just want to be a parent, enjoy the experience. But at the same time, being a coach puts a lot more pressure on both of us, separating myself as dad and coach.”
Stephen Cooper grew up in Wareham, Mass. He went to a Naval Academy prep school out of high school in Rhode Island with the intent of playing at the Naval Academy. But when the day came to sign papers, he changed his mind, not wanting to make the military commitment after college.
San Diego Chargers linebacker Stephen Cooper in an NFL football game between the San Diego Chargers and the Tennessee Titans Sunday, Oct. 31, 2010, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)
Instead, Cooper played at the University of Maine. By his senior year, he was a Division I-AA All-American linebacker. Cooper’s NFL path was that of an underdog. He went undrafted, then played nine years in the NFL, all with the Chargers. He was a starter for four seasons, finishing his career with 503 tackles, 9½ sacks and eight interceptions.
Cooper is 14 years removed from his NFL career. He works as a personal trainer and coach, often waking up at 4 a.m. to train clients. At a ripped 6-foot-1 and 235 pounds, he looks like he could still shed blockers and tackle running backs.
He makes no bones about his key to success.
“It’s about a work ethic,” he said.
The lesson has been passed to Kye. Monday through Wednesday, Kye wakes up between 5:30 a.m. and 6 a.m., at least 2½ hours before school starts. On Mondays and Tuesdays, he walks across the street from his Paradise Hills home and runs 10 repeats up a steep hill, following a workout created by Walter Payton and LaDainian Tomlinson.
On Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays, again before school, Kye lifts weights for 30 minutes.
San Diego’s Kye Cooper (4) runs the ball against Mt. Carmel’s Isaac Castro (9) during their game at Mt. Carmel High School on Friday, Sept. 13, 2024 in San Diego, CA. (Meg McLaughlin / The San Diego Union-Tribune)
“He’s putting in the hard work, for sure,” said Stephen. “Obviously, there’s room for improvement. At the end of the day, he’s doing everything I ask him. And I want him to enjoy his childhood. He likes his video games, and he likes hanging with his friends. I don’t force him to do the football stuff. He wants to do it. But I’ve got to flip the switch from time to time, help him through the whole process.”
Only one game into his junior season, Kye already has scholarship offers from Pitt, San Diego State, Colorado State and Delaware State. He said playing collegiately in Florida would be alluring
As to what position he’ll play in college, he’s not leaning toward wide receiver or safety. There is the temptation, because of his father’s pedigree, to think of him as a safety first.
“Do not cross the middle against him,” said linebacker teammate Xavier Wilson. “He’ll knock your lights out.”
“Honestly,” said Stephen Cooper, “I think he can play about any position. I don’t want to put any ceiling on him.”
Originally Published: September 4, 2025 at 2:23 PM PDT