Thompson resigns as Niceville football head coach

Posted by author March 5, 2025 Football

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NICEVILLE — Grant Thompson has always said the “Flyin’ N is bigger than me.”

Those words carried added weight Wednesday when we he announced his resignation as Niceville’s head football coach following a six-year run where the Eagles went 64-10 and made two Final Fours.

No one saw this coming. Not his coaches. Not his players. Not Niceville High administration.

After all, this was Thompson’s decision and his decision alone.

The Eagles were 1 yard from advancing to the 5A state championship this past December when a two-point conversion was stuffed at the goal line in a 34-33, triple-overtime heartbreaker at Lakeland. Afterward, Thompson said he was “kicking around a bit” the next chapter of his life.

That chapter has yet to be decided, but he said he will not be coaching at Niceville or anyone else next season.

“It’s all pretty new and pretty raw,” Thompson said. “It’s hard to put into words. Charlie’s been incredible. My coaches have been great. It’s a lot of mixed emotions.”

Charlie is of course Niceville principal Charlie Marello, who in 2019 faced the unenviable task of replacing a living legend in John Hicks. Thompson was hired among 72 applicants, the 2001 Niceville High alumnus calling this his “dream job.”

“I don’t even know if that describes it enough,” Thompson said of the label. “It’s more than a dream job. Every memory will be cherished.”

Like the perfect 10-0 regular season in 2019. Or the “Nike Special” play from 2020 at Buchholz that propelled the Eagles to the first of two region titles under Thompson. Or the six Okaloosa County titles and unbeaten record against Choctaw. There’s honestly too many to name here for a man who helped navigate the program through the pandemic, a restructuring of FHSAA’s classes, NIL and the transfer portal.

Through it all, his commitment to the players, his loyalty to the program and his love for the community shined.

But, as Thompson said again Wednesday, “the Flyin’ N is bigger than me.”

“Someone will step in and continue the winning tradition that was built long before I arrived,” he said.

Stay tuned.