The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
Football
Celestin, Jonathan
Jonathan Celestin
- Title:
- Linebackers
Head Coach Trent Dilfer named Jonathan Celestin as UAB’s linebackers coach in March of 2025. Celestin is in his first year with the Blazers.
Celestin joins the Blazers after spending the past two seasons as a graduate assistant at the University of Virginia working with linebackers in 2024 and the defensive line in 2023. Last season, Celestin helped coach and mentor All-ACC linebacker Kam Robinson.
Prior to Virginia, Celestin worked with linebackers as a graduate assistant at the University of Wyoming for the 2022 season. He started his coaching career as Eden Prairie High School in Minnesota from 2020-22.
Celestin was a standout linebacker for the University of Minnesota from 2014-18. In 2016, he was the Big Ten Linebacker of the Year and an All-Conference recipient, and in 2017 was named a team captain and the Gophers’ Defensive Most Valuable Player.
Following his collegiate career, Celestin played professionally for four years. In 2018, he spent the season on the practice squad with three different NFL organizations (Chargers, Falcons, Jets), and then spent the 2019 and 2021 seasons with the Carolina Panthers. In 2020, he played for the XFL’s DC Defenders.
Celestin is a 2018 graduate of the University of Minnesota and earned his Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology.
Celestin joins the Blazers after spending the past two seasons as a graduate assistant at the University of Virginia working with linebackers in 2024 and the defensive line in 2023. Last season, Celestin helped coach and mentor All-ACC linebacker Kam Robinson.
Prior to Virginia, Celestin worked with linebackers as a graduate assistant at the University of Wyoming for the 2022 season. He started his coaching career as Eden Prairie High School in Minnesota from 2020-22.
Celestin was a standout linebacker for the University of Minnesota from 2014-18. In 2016, he was the Big Ten Linebacker of the Year and an All-Conference recipient, and in 2017 was named a team captain and the Gophers’ Defensive Most Valuable Player.
Following his collegiate career, Celestin played professionally for four years. In 2018, he spent the season on the practice squad with three different NFL organizations (Chargers, Falcons, Jets), and then spent the 2019 and 2021 seasons with the Carolina Panthers. In 2020, he played for the XFL’s DC Defenders.
Celestin is a 2018 graduate of the University of Minnesota and earned his Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology.
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