Career
He starred as a fullback and linebacker for Rutherford High School (New Jersey) (1944–1948) and as a running back playing college football at Utah State University. He began coaching at the United States Coast Guard Academy and Lehigh University and found success as head coach at Susquehanna University (1960-1965), leading them to a 39-11-1 record which included undefeated seasons in 1961 and 1962. He was fired during the 7th game of the 1965 season for assaulting a player.
He spent most of the next forty years in the National Football League as an assistant coach with the New York Giants (1970-1973), the New Orleans Saints (1976-1977), and the Cleveland Browns (running backs 1978-1984), as well as head coach of the Houston Texans of the fledgling World Football League (1974).
There was a brief stint in the mid-1970s as head coach at Millburn High School in New Jersey. His last coaching job as head coach of Columbia University in 1985 was fraught with controversy as the team went 0-10 and accusations of verbal and physical abuse surfaced.
From 1987 to 2004, he served as a scout for the Dallas Cowboys. Jason is the head coach for the Dallas Cowboys, John is the offensive coordinator at Oregon State University, Judd is a front office executive with the Cowboys, and Jim III teaches High School English at University School near Cleveland, Ohio.
In 2001, Susquehanna University named their new sports complex in his honor.
In 1996, Jim Garrett was inducted into Rutherford High School"s Athletic Hall of Fame (1996).
