Yale University is looking for a new football coach.
The school announced Tuesday that longtime coach Tony Leno will resign due to health reasons. Leno, 52, was hired as the team’s head coach in January 2012 and led the Bulldogs to their first FCS playoff appearance in 2025.
“Given my current health condition, I have decided to step down as the head coach of Yale football,” Leno said in a statement. “When I came to Yale 14 years ago, I never imagined what this journey would turn out to be. The relationships that were formed, the moments that were shared, and the people that I was blessed to be around forever changed my life and that of my family. I am deeply grateful to the players, coaches and staff who have given their all to Yale football.”
Reno is the second-winningest coach in Yale history, behind Cam Koza. During his tenure, the Bulldogs compiled an 83-49 record and won five Ivy League championships while he was a student.
Since hiring Tony Leno in 2012, Yale has won 83 games. (Photo: Williams Paul/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
(“Icon Sportswire” via Getty Images)
A fifth championship is coming in 2025, and the Ivy League changed the rules last season to allow its champions to participate in the FCS playoffs. Yale automatically qualified for the conference, while Harvard earned an at-large berth after Yale defeated the Crimson 45-28 for the conference title.
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Yale then pulled off an upset in the first round of the FCS playoffs, defeating No. 14 Youngstown State 43-42. The Bulldogs trailed 35-7 at halftime but outscored the Penguins 36-7 in the second half, scoring 21 points in the fourth quarter.
In the second round, Yale lost to eventual FCS national champion Montana State 21-13.
“Coach Reno’s leadership has been truly transformational,” said Yale Athletic Director Vicky Chun. “His impact on Yale football, our department, and the university goes far beyond championships and victories—it lives on in the countless people he inspired. Coach Reno leads with integrity, humility, and an unwavering commitment to excellence, dedicating himself wholeheartedly to this program every day. He cares deeply about his players and inspires them Excellence on the field, in the classroom and in life. Coach Reno’s dedication to Yale and the young men he coached was complete and his legacy will continue. We are deeply grateful for all that Tony and his wife, Toni, and their children, Dante, Angelina and Vince, have done for our Yale community.”
