John Copeland is a retired American football

American football

American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...

 defensive end

Defensive end

Defensive end is the name of a defensive position in the sport of American and Canadian football.This position has designated the players at each end of the defensive line, but changes in formations have substantially changed how the position is played over the years...

 who played for the Cincinnati Bengals

Cincinnati Bengals

The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional football team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the AFC's North Division in the National Football League . The Bengals began play in 1968 as an expansion team in the American Football League , and joined the NFL in 1970 in the AFL-NFL...

 in the National Football League

National Football League

The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...

.

As of 2007, he is the defensive coordinator

Defensive coordinator

A defensive coordinator typically refers to a coach on a gridiron football team who is in charge of the defense. Generally, along with his offensive counterpart, he represents the second level of command structure after the head coach...

 of Tuscaloosa Academy's varsity

Varsity team

In the United States and Canada, varsity sports teams are the principal athletic teams representing a college, university, high school or other secondary school. Such teams compete against the principal athletic teams at other colleges/universities, or in the case of secondary schools, against...

 football

High school football

High school football, in North America, refers to the game of football as it is played in the United States and Canada. It ranks among the most popular interscholastic sports in both of these nations....

 team. Copeland enjoyed an outstanding senior year at the University of Alabama

University of Alabama

The University of Alabama is a public coeducational university located in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, United States....

. He was a first team All-American, along with fellow teammate Eric Curry

Eric Curry

Eric Felece Curry is a former professional American football defensive end who played seven seasons for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Jacksonville Jaguars from 1993 to 1999 in the National Football League...

, during the 1992 campaign. Copeland and Curry anchored one of the greatest defenses in the history of college football

College football

College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...

. Copeland teamed with fellow NFL players, Antonio Langham

Antonio Langham

Collie Antonio Langham , is a former professional American football player who was selected by the Cleveland Browns in the first round of the 1994 NFL Draft. A 6'0", 187 lb cornerback from the University of Alabama, Langham played in seven NFL seasons from 1994-2000...

, David Palmer

David Palmer (American football)

David Lee Palmer is a retired American football player from Birmingham, Alabama. He played the position of wide receiver in college at the University of Alabama and professionally for seven seasons with the Minnesota Vikings of the National Football League.Palmer was a star quarterback for...

, Sherman Williams

Sherman Williams

Sherman Cedric Williams is a former professional American football running back in the National Football League for five seasons for the Dallas Cowboys...

, and George Teague

George Teague

George Theo Teague is a former American football player who played free safety in the National Football League with the Dallas Cowboys, Green Bay Packers, and Miami Dolphins.-College:...

. During his senior year, the Crimson Tide

Crimson Tide

Crimson Tide may refer to:* Crimson tide, a type of algae also known as Karenia brevis* Alabama Crimson Tide, the sports teams of the University of Alabama* Crimson Tide , a 1995 American thriller...

 won the 1992 national title.

He now is the defensive coordinator and off-season strength and conditioning coach for the Tuscaloosa Academy Knights of Tuscaloosa, Alabama.