WATCH: Cocoa High Graduate James Rowe III Named Cornerbacks Coach for NFL’s Indianapolis Colts
By Steve Wilson // February 11, 2021
latest edition of 'Sit Down with Steve'
WATCH: Coach James Rowe III, talks with Steve Wilson in the latest edition of “Sit Down with Steve.” Rowe, a Cocoa High School graduate, was recently named cornerbacks coach for the Indianapolis Colts talks about his love for the game of football, his journey to the NFL, and much more in this exclusive interview.
BREVARD COUNTY • COCOA, FLORIDA – James Rowe III was recently named cornerbacks coach for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League. It is the second stop for Rowe in the NFL, having been a coach for Washington from 2017-2019.
Some say that Rowe was destined to become a coach. His father, James Rowe, Jr., is a member of the Space Coast Sports Hall of Fame, having won 431 games as head coach of the Cocoa High basketball team.
It just seemed logical that he would follow in his father’s footsteps.
The young boy from Cocoa who dreamed of being a professional ballplayer was a multi-sport athlete at the high school level, playing football, baseball and basketball. Rowe was a quarterback, pitcher and point guard and a “student of the game.”
When his dreams of playing professionally did not pan out, he made the decision to turn to coaching.
Rowe said his early coaches such as J.C. Cowan, Jesse French, Ricky Battle and Daniel Graham really influenced him and set the foundation of wanting to be a coach.
He also credits his coaches at the high school level as being major influences in his life. Besides his dad in basketball, he played for Gerald Odom and Lance Jenkins in football, and Chuck Goldfarb in baseball.
Not only are Odom and Goldfarb in the Space Coast Sports Hall of Fame, but Odom is also in the Florida High School Athletic Association Hall of Fame. The legendary Odom compiled a 268-85-2 record, including back-to-back state championships for Merritt Island in 1978-1979.
Rowe’s coaching career has seen him on the field at all levels; having already coached at high school (Cocoa), small college (Valdosta State University, Jacksonville University, Bethel University), big college (the University of Florida and Appalachian State University) and the NFL (Washington).
According to Rowe, he did not “skip a step,” and has had the privilege of being in a lot of different playbooks. He believes this has helped advance his career and prepare him for his new job with the Colts.
Not many high school athletes have played under three Hall of Fame coaches, but Rowe has – and don’t be surprised if one day Rowe joins those individuals in the Space Coast Sports Hall of Fame.
