Tyler Yelk -- the only University of Minnesota Duluth football player to win an NCAA national championship as a player and a coach, will make his first Super Bowl appearance as the head coach of quality control for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League after the Eagles defeated the Washington Commanders in the National Football Conference's championship game Sunday afternoon in Philadelphia.


Yelk is in his second season with the Eagles coaching staff -- he joined the team in 2023.


During his playing career as a safety from 2005-2008, Yelk was an All-American defensive back for three different organizations as a senior. He ended his tenure as UMD's career leader in tackles (323) after leading the team in tackles in three seasons, including as a freshman, and during UMD's 2008 undefeated championship season. Yelk was twice named Fiirst-Team All-NSIC/NCC.  Following his senior year, he was selected to play in the 2008 Cactus Bowl, an all-star game for Division II seniors.


Following his playing career with UMD, he joined the coaching staff and became the only Bulldog to win an NCAA title as a player and coach when UMD claimed the 2010 NCAA Division II title in his second season as an assistant coach. Overall, he spent four years as defensive backs coach at his alma mater, with UMD qualifying for the NCAA Playoffs each year. In addition to the 2010 undefeated season, UMD twice advanced to the quarterfinals, while two players were named All-Americans, LB Kiel Fechtelkotter and RB Isaac Odim, and seven earned all-region honors during his tenure.  He also served as a special teams coordinator in 2012. 


Prior to joining the Eagles coaching staff, Yelk spent 14 years on college coaching staffs. In addition to UMD, Yelk was on the coaching staffs at the University of Idaho, Western Illinois University, the University of South Dakota and Temple University.