“I love Everett football…” Everett welcomes back native son Rob DiLoreto as its head football coach after two-year hiatus

By Joe McConnell 

To say that Rob DiLoreto loves his hometown would be an understatement. Maybe a close second – besides family, of course – would be football, and when you combine both, it’s easy to figure out the reasons that he decided to return to his alma mater as its head football coach two years after stepping down, because of what he described as “a series of circumstances over the past few months” at the beginning of his press release in April 2023.

DiLoreto was formally reintroduced as the Crimson Tide’s new head football coach in a press conference at the Crimson Café inside Everett High School last Friday afternoon, replacing Justin Flores, who ironically succeeded him in 2023.

“I’m excited to lead the Everett Football Family again,” DiLoreto told The Advocate. “I love Everett football, and I feel honored and humbled to have this opportunity. I will give my very best effort and work tirelessly to uphold the proud tradition of Everett football.  I will always support our players to the best of my ability.”

DiLoreto added that no one encouraged him to apply for the job again. He simply did it on his own, because the school and the city will always be home to him.

“I graduated from Everett High School (EHS) in 1984, and I still have very fond memories of growing up in Everett,” he said. “I feel a very strong connection to this city, and I love Everett. I grew up in the Village section of Everett. We were one big family in the Village. I played many youth sports, including Pop Warner football, youth basketball and baseball.  At EHS, I played football in my senior year, and baseball all four years.”

DiLoreto was a Crimson Tide assistant football coach in 2017, coach John DiBiaso’s final year. They ended up going 11-0 culminating with a Super Bowl title. In 2018, Theluxon Pierre’s first year as head coach, he was Pierre’s offensive coordinator, and that team went 9-1.

The Everett native started out his Tide coaching career as a volunteer assistant in 2016. That season he had the privilege to coach Mike Sainristil, who just completed a sensational rookie campaign with the Washington Commanders; Isaiah Likely, a Baltimore Ravens wide receiver; Jason Maitre, a Miami Dolphins cornerback; and Lewis Cine, a Philadelphia Eagles safety, who’s getting ready to participate in Sunday’s Super Bowl game against the Kansas City Chiefs. “That may have been the most talented team in the history of Everett football,” DiLoreto said of the 2016 squad.

In his first year as the EHS head football coach in 2020, Josaiah Stewart, who was on the University of Michigan Wolverines national championship team last year as a defensive end / edge rusher, was one of his players. After completing his senior season this past fall, Stewart is now eligible for the NFL (National Football League) Draft in April.

“Josaiah played for me during the COVID season. He was a dominant talent, and had an incredible work ethic,” DiLoreto said. “He was also a tremendous leader for us during that spring season.”

In three seasons as the EHS head football coach from 2020-22, he accumulated a 21-3 regular season record, and also won three Greater Boston League (GBL) titles.

While he will be assembling a staff over the next few weeks, DiLoreto met with the players for the first time Monday afternoon. “The players were engaged in the meeting, and the team set some very high expectations for our Everett Football Family,” DiLoreto said. “I’m very, very focused on earning the players’ respect and building relationships with (them). We want to set academic standards on being on time for class, and giving our best effort there, while also being respectful to our teachers and classmates.”

With the new power rankings system, coaches are more inclined to schedule games against quality non-league opponents instead of playing every team in their own league. Flores did that last year, and DiLoreto understands the importance of that strategy. “We plan to continue to play a balance of GBL and non-league opponents going forward,” he said. “Our schedule will be very similar to last year.”

But before those games, the off-season workouts are critical to get ready for them if they want to achieve any type of success, and DiLoreto informed the players of that schedule earlier this week.

“We will begin our off-season strength and conditioning program (this coming) Monday, Feb. 10. That program will continue right through the first day of (practice in mid-August that begins the 2025 season},” the coach said. “My personal goals for 2025 are very simple: Earn Trust, Build Relationships, Be Humble, Give My Best Effort and Improve.”

DiLoreto went on to say that his players won’t be participating in any summer camps or 7-v-7 leagues. “We will train the team with our staff to prepare them for the season,” he added.

And he can’t wait to get started all over again.