Head Football Coach
Paul Crowley announced the return of Mario Byrd to the Captains coaching staff on March 9, 2026. Byrd, who played for the Captains and began his coaching career at CNU, was named Christopher Newport's Defensive Coordinator.
"I am extremely excited to be able to bring a former Captain back into the fold at CNU as Defensive Coordinator," Crowley said. "He's a Newport News native, and those who know Mario know he is a tremendous human being who consistently gets the most out of his players."
Byrd returned to Christopher Newport following three seasons on the staff at Johns Hopkins University, where he served as the Defensive Line Coach as well as the program's Recruiting Coordinator. He helped lead a stellar defensive unit at JHU, and the Blue Jays compiled a 36-5 overall record during his time there over three seasons.
"I'm excited to be back home at CNU and to have the opportunity to compete with a great group of student-athletes and coaches," Byrd said. "I love what Coach Crowley has done with the program and I'm excited for the future of CNU Football."
The Warwick High School graduate played defensive line for the Captains from 2016-2019. After his playing career at CNU, Byrd got his coaching start as a student assistant in the spring of 2019, and spent a season as the Defensive Line Coach at his high school alma mater. After spending the 2021 season working with CNU's outside linebacking corps, Byrd joined the staff at Alvernia University in Pennsylvania for the 2022 campaign prior to heading to Baltimore and the position at Johns Hopkins.
Byrd made an immediate impact when he joined the staff at Johns Hopkins, helping lead the team to a 12-1 mark in 2023, a Centennial Conference title, and a trip to the NCAA quarterfinals. The squad allowed just 128.9 yards per game on the ground and the unit rang up 39 sacks on the year. In 2024, the Jays posted a 12-2 record, another Centennial title, and a run to the NCAA semifinals. The 2025 season saw JHU again go 12-2 as the Blue Jays advanced to the National semifinals yet again.
