The 2026 football season at Palisades High School in Charlotte began under a cloud of uncertainty when head coach Jonathan Simmons was placed on paid suspension just as the campaign was set to start.
Simmons, a physical‑education teacher at the school, has served as the program’s head coach since Palisades opened its doors in 2022, inheriting a team that had struggled to find consistency in its early years.
A Turnaround on the Field
Despite posting a combined 5‑16 record in the 2022 and 2023 seasons, Simmons guided the program to back‑to‑back 8‑4 finishes in 2024 and 2025, earning consecutive berths in the state playoffs and raising expectations for a deep run.
The opening victory came with a 42‑28 win over Ashbrook High School in Gastonia, a result that not only gave the team an early morale boost but also set the stage for a much‑anticipated clash with rival Olympic High School later in the schedule.
With Simmons sidelined, assistant coach Darrel Wilson has been appointed interim head coach, tasked with preserving the momentum and guiding the squad through the early weeks of competition.
District officials have offered no specifics about the reasons for the suspension, but they have affirmed that the program will continue to operate under Wilson’s leadership while the matter is reviewed.