Some coaches win games, some coaches build programs, and then there are those rare individuals who build people. Connecticut high school football lost one of those extraordinary souls this past Saturday when the state said goodbye to Jude Kelly. Kelly passed away on February 14, 2026, following a short illness. He was 73 years old. And though Valentine’s Day marked his final chapter, it felt fitting for a man who led with love. 

Born on August 27, 1952, in Wethersfield, Kelly’s journey through Connecticut football spanned an incredible 43 seasons and 252 victories. He was tied seventh on the state’s all-time coaching list. Kelly graduated from Wethersfield High in 1970. He then played at Southern Connecticut State before earning his master’s degree from UConn. It marked the beginning of what would become a legendary coaching career.

Kelly won four state championships. Three at East Catholic in 1983, 1986, and 1987, and one at Southington in 1998. But those numbers barely scratch the surface of his impact. Kelly took over the struggling programs at St. Paul and Weaver. He transformed them not just into competitive teams but into families. 

“Jude really was a saint,” said Anthony Mazzarella, St. Paul’s current head football coach and Kelly’s longtime assistant. “He was the most selfless person I’ve ever met, and through his selflessness, he was a great leader and motivator. He was just the epitome of love, for what he did and for the people he worked with. He had such a quiet leadership about him that you didn’t even realize he was leading you and motivating you.”

Frank Stamilio, who spent 35 years coaching alongside Kelly at Southington and St. Paul, captured the essence of what made him special. “He was a mentor that showed you that these are the things that are most important, that you’ve got to get across to these kids, and help them with the struggles they’re having, help them make decisions that put them on a better path.”

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Kelly believed in a simple philosophy of leaving a place better than you found it. Whether that meant installing the triple option at East Catholic, pioneering the “Air Raid” passing attack in Connecticut high school football at Southington, or adapting to the single-wing at St. Paul when roster numbers were low, he met each challenge with innovation and grace. 

“Why did I do this? That never comes into my mind,” he told The Courant in 2021 about his Weaver comeback. “Just, what do we need to do today? What can we do better? Be patient, as long as we get better every day, and the kids are learning life skills.”

As news of his passing spread across Connecticut and beyond, tributes poured in from every corner of the football world. From former players who became coaches themselves, to opponents who respected him, to the countless young men whose lives he quietly transformed.

A community united in grief

The ripples of Kelly’s influence spread far beyond the towns where he coached. He touched every corner of Connecticut’s football community and beyond. Jon Wholley, now head coach at Avon Old Farms, played for Kelly at Southington High School from 1997 to 2000.

“He was the type of person who was a true leader, who was able to connect a lot of people and influence them with his words and his actions,” Wholley told News 8. “He treated everyone fairly, kindly, and he really was a role model of how it is to live your life.”

Matt Proffitt, who coached alongside Jude Kelly in 2004, shared the same sentiments. “The wins, though impressive, are just really a small part of what we will all remember Jude for,” Proffitt said. “He has been able to win and create teams, bonds, and cultures that stand the test of time and win no matter the circumstances.”

Jon Esmail, Kelly’s former player at Southington who now serves as the town’s Youth Services Coordinator, talked about his coach’s fundamental nature. “He was a builder,” Esmail said. “He was a builder of men, he was a builder of programs, he was a builder of community. He always instilled all of the important aspects we needed as young people playing football, and always communicated how the game of football is a direct parallel to life.”

The tributes have poured in from across state lines, too, with coaches from throughout New England expressing their admiration. Eian Bain, Head Football Coach at Bridgewater-Raynham Regional High School in Massachusetts, also wrote, “Coaching Legend! One of the best ever. Rest In Peace.”

As word spread through social media, a common thread emerged. Nobody who knew Jude Kelly will ever forget him. Proffitt and Wholley both shared the truth that even though Kelly is gone, the lessons he taught, the standards he set, and the love he showed will continue to guide the hundreds of lives he touched. In that way, perhaps he’s not really gone at all.