Payton Pardee was named the tight ends coach in January 2026. Pardee, a recognizable name on the gridiron, brings over eight years of coaching experience to the Sun City and is making a return to the college ranks after mentoring at the pro level for the last three seasons.
Pardee’s most recent position was the interim head coach of the UFL’s San Antonio Brahmas in 2025. He also assumed the duties of the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. Pardee was named interim head coach before the third game this year. Pardee started with the Brahmas as the special teams coordinator and wide receivers coach before the 2024 campaign. San Antonio finished 7-3 in the regular season. The Brahmas won the 2024 XFL Division Championship to advance to the UFL Championship game. San Antonio ranked first in kickoffs, second in punting, and third in punt returns in the UFL in 2024. Pardee coached Jontre Kirklin, who ranked tied for first in the league with 56 receptions and ranked second with 614 receiving yards in 10 games played.
Before being on the San Antonio staff, Pardee served as the wide receivers coach for the XFL’s Houston Roughnecks for two seasons (2022-2023). He also directed the punt and kickoff returners. The Roughnecks ranked no. 2 in scoring offense and finished 7-3 with a regular-season division championship in 2023.
Pardee’s first collegiate coaching gig was at East Texas A&M (formerly Texas A&M-Commerce). He started as a graduate assistant with the outside wide receivers during the 2019 season, while in 2021, Pardee served as a GA for the tight ends. He was hired full-time at East Texas A&M as the tight ends coach, recruiting coordinator, and pro liaison.
While on staff at East Texas A&M, which was Division II until before the 2025 campaign, Pardee recruited multiple student-athletes who went on to receive full scholarships at FBS and FCS programs. Tight end Dawson Hearne played for East Texas A&M in 2022 and went on to receive a full scholarship at Tarleton State. Hearne finished the 2023 season as an All-United Football Conference first team player. In 2021, Pardee signed defensive back Michael Ray, who transferred to UTEP before the 2024 season. Long snapper Josiah Kennard transferred to James Madison, and offensive lineman Peyton Ellis transferred to Marshall – both players on a full scholarship. In 2020, Pardee recruited wide receiver Michael Phoenix, who transferred to Sam Houston, and offensive lineman McKenzie Agnello transferred to New Mexico and then became a starting guard on the o-line at Houston. In 2019, East Texas A&M signed wide receiver Andrew Armstrong, who became an All-Southland Conference first team player and then transferred to Arkansas, where he notched a 1,000-yard receiving season in 2024 (led Razorbacks in receptions and yards).
Tight end Austin Samaha played two years for Pardee at ETAM and led all Southland Conference tight ends in receiving yards in 2023.
Pardee played collegiately at the University of Houston, where he was a wide receiver and on special teams under Tom Herman, Major Applewhite, and Kendall Briles from 2015 to 2018. He was part of the 2015 American Athletic Conference championship and Peach Bowl victory. Pardee also competed in the 2016 Las Vegas Bowl, 2017 Hawai’i Bowl, and 2018 Armed Forces Bowl.
Pardee graduated with honors from the University of Houston with an economics degree in 2018, followed by receiving his master’s in health kinesiology sports studies from Texas A&M University-Commerce in 2021.
Payton is the grandson of Hall of Fame coach and player Jack Pardee. Jack was the head coach for the NFL’s Houston Oilers, where he implemented the run-and-shoot offense from 1990 to 1994 (43-31 overall record). His family’s coaching roots sparked a strong desire to follow in his grandfather's footsteps in the coaching profession. Jack was also the head coach for the Chicago Bears (1975-1977), the Washington Redskins (1978-1980), the USFL’s Houston Gamblers (1984-1985), at the University of Houston (1987-1989), and the CFL’s Birmingham Barracudas (1995).
