When John Reid arrived at Rome High School, he promised to build a program the community could be proud of, and he more than delivered. After 11 seasons, two state championships, and nine region titles, Reid has announced his retirement as head football coach.
Reid announced his retirement as coach last week to his players, closing the book on one of the most successful coaching tenures in school history.
“What Coach Reid accomplished at Rome High School speaks for itself, from multiple state championships to numerous region titles and sending countless student athletes on to college. But what truly sets him apart is the culture he created,” Rome City Schools Superintendent Dr. Eric L. Holland said. “He built a program that values accountability, hard work, and caring for students as people first. Because of that foundation, Rome High football is positioned to continue succeeding well into the future.”
On Tuesday night, the Rome City Schools Board of Education recognized Reid and his football players for earning all-region honors and also celebrated the career of the football coach.
During his 11 seasons at Rome, Reid built the program into a perennial state contender, winning two GHSA state championships, nine region titles, reaching the state semifinals five times, and making deep playoff runs.
But for Reid, the legacy of the program goes far beyond trophies.
“We came in with a vision to make the football program something the community and the town could be proud of,” Reid said. “When you reflect back on 2015 and all the different roads we’ve taken to be successful, every year had a different path. What it’s meant to me is that we were able to provide a program the community could be proud of, and that this place is in a better spot than when we got here.”
From the beginning, Reid was clear about his expectations for success.
“I came here to win a state championship, and I expected it,” Reid said. “I believed we could do it. It’s extremely hard at this level of Georgia football, and sometimes your ‘state championship’ is being the best version of that team you can possibly be. We were close a lot of times, and those seasons mattered just as much.”
Reid and his teams compiled an impressive 116 wins and nine region titles. The squad won Class 5A State Titles in 2016 and 2017 and came within spitting distance three or four more times, dropping close losses to good teams in the semifinals or quarterfinals.
This past season, Reid and the coaching staff took a younger team to a fifth consecutive region title and reached the Class 5A Semifinals for the sixth time in program history and fifth time under Reid. Reid also celebrated his 250th victory as a head football coach when the Wolves topped Kennesaw Mountain to end the regular season.
While championships and lots of winning helped define the run, Reid said relationships and personal growth remain the most meaningful parts of his career at Rome High.
“The biggest takeaway is the people,” Reid said. “All the teachers, all the kids, and all the people you meet along the way. You don’t always realize it when they’re 18, but years later those kids will reach out and tell you how much the program changed them. If you don’t build relationships, you don’t last. The only reason kids play as hard as they do is because they know you care about them, and that’s what separates great programs from average ones.”
Reid can point to countless memorable moments on the field, but one story in particular bears repeating. The Wolves drew a crazy-difficult first-round opponent in the playoffs in Reid's first year. Stephenson, who was the No. 2 ranked team in Class 5A, played host to Rome. Reid said several people around town and even at the school offered their condolences before the game was played.
That fired Reid up and prompted him to make a promise to the team. Reid told his team that if they went on the road and upset Stevenson in the playoffs, he would get a wolf tattoo. The Wolves knocked off Stephenson 7-6.
Reid’s wife Julie reminded him that he couldn’t renege on his promise to the players, so Reid picked out a wolf tattoo and a shop and sat through the many hour process.
“That tattoo became part of the story,” Reid said. “It showed commitment. I poured everything I had into this program, and I wanted the kids to understand that if you give everything you have to what you’re doing, something special can come out of it.”
Reid said this while lifting the sleeve of his shirt on his left arm, revealing a large and intimidating wolf tattoo. It was the first and only tattoo Reid has gotten.
Along with the wolf tattoo, Reid mentioned other big moments like the two state titles and this year’s team beating undefeated New Manchester on the road, 38-7, to win another region title.
But memories of things other than wins and trophies also mean a lot to Reid and his wife Julie, who also played a big role with the program.
“I think one of the biggest takeaways for me is how much my wife got to be involved in the program and see her joy in helping these kids. It helps you as a person to be able to help other people. Everybody talks about the cliches of building relationships and all that. It comes with building a program,” Reid said. “If you don't build relationships, you don't last a year. You've got to make these kids know they’re special and that it's more than football. That's what our success has been. The only reason our players run and tackle and hit as hard as they do is because they know the coaches care about them.”
As he prepares to step away, Reid said he is confident in the future of the program and intentional about leaving it in a strong position.
“This program is bigger than one man,” Reid said. “It’s built now, and it will continue to succeed. The uniforms won’t change, the expectations won’t change, and the goal won’t change. Rome football is set up to keep moving forward.”
When asked what he hopes people remember most about his time at Rome High, Reid returned to the same theme that guided his career.
“I know people will remember the wins, and that’s great,” Reid said. “But I hope they also remember the passion and the total commitment to making the program better and helping kids become better people. Over 11 years, we’ve impacted countless lives, and that’s what really matters.”
Reid will stay on as Rome City Schools District Athletic Director until June 30, 2026. A search for the next Rome High football coach is already in progress.