Ex-NFL player Ziggy Hood credited with helping prevent possible school tragedy

Ziggy Hood played 10 seasons in the NFL after a standout collegiate career at Missouri, but his biggest achievement may have been preventing a possible school shooting in Texas.

Hood is currently a biology teacher and an assistant football coach at Palo Duro High School after stepping away from the NFL following the 2018 season. Hood told MyHighPlains.com on Friday he noticed a student who was struggling and went over to talk to him.

“After talking with him for a little bit, trying to explain to him, there’s multiple ways of doing about going about this,” he told the station. “And one way was not the way which he had planned.”

After authorities were alerted, a student was arrested, and a weapon was found on the high school grounds. A potential major tragedy appeared to have been avoided.

“Officers Matthews and Pedraza did a wonderful job that day, they protected everybody,” Hood said, crediting the officers on campus. “I’m just glad that he didn’t get hurt, somebody else didn’t get hurt, or multiple people, you know, didn’t get hurt.”

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Eric Mims, the head football coach at the high school, credited training the Amarillo Independent School District gives teachers and coaches to spot students who may be struggling. He added that the amount of time coaches spend around students helps notice when attitudes change in them.

Hood was a first-round pick of the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2009. He then joined the Jacksonville Jaguars, Chicago Bears, Washington Redskins and Miami Dolphins.

He attended Palo Duro High School when he was younger.