Kirk Ferentz family: Details about Iowa HC's parents, wife, kids and more
Kirk Ferentz is currently under criticism for having his son Brian Ferentz as the offensive coordinator of the Iowa Hawkeyes, the school he coaches. The decision has been tagged as nepotism after the Hawkeyes had one of the worst offenses in the nation in 2023.
Things have been even worse since starting quarterback Cade McNamara was ruled out for the season after an injury in a clash with Michigan State.
This decision by Kirk Ferentz has brought some attention to his full family picture, which is what we'll take a look at.
Who were Kirk Ferentz's parents?
Ferentz was born on August 1st, 1955, in Royal Oak, Michigan, to John Ferentz and Elsie Mae Ferentz. His father was a graduate of Albion College, where he was a member of Delta Tau Delta Fraternity. He served in the US Army Air Corps during World War II and was involved in Upper St. Clair Youth Baseball. He died on October 17, 2004.
Elsie Mae Ferentz was also a graduate of Albion College and a member of the Alpha Chi Omega Sorority and Phi Beta Kappa. She died on June 29, 2007.
Kirk Ferentz has two siblings, sister Julia Conway, and brother John Ferentz
Who's Kirk Ferentz's wife?
Ferentz is married to Mary Ferentz, an active part of the Iowa University community. Mary Ferentz previously managed the Iowa Ladies Football Academy, a fundraiser for the University of Iowa's Stead Family Children's Hospital. The program raised millions for the program, and when it closed Mary Ferentz said this about why she decided to start it:
"I mean, women make up a huge percentage of the fan base," Ferentz said in an interview with the Register. "And we often get overlooked, so we decided we'd try this ladies football academy. Sounded like a good idea."
Who are Kirk Ferentz's kids?
Ferentz's oldest child is Brian, who served as a mentor for the New England Patriots. Moreover, he is currently serving as the offensive coordinator for the Iowa Hawkeyes. Besides him, he has two other sons, James and Steven.
James Ferentz is an NFL center for the New England Patriots and has won two Super Bowls. He played at Iowa and was hired as an undrafted free agent by the Texans in 2014. He has also played for the Denver Broncos. The youngest of the brothers is Steven Ferentz, who also played offensive lineman at Iowa and is currently South Dakota's O-line coach.
He also has two daughters, Kelly Ferentz, and Joann Ferentz.