JFK football’s Mike Henderson steps down after four seasons leading Mustangs

After three seasons leading the JFK football program, Mike Henderson handed in his resignation on Monday to spend more time with his family.

Henderson confirmed the news to Central Jersey Sports Radio this week, saying it was a “difficult decision to make,” but says he has two young children at home – two years old and nine months – and says he “didn’t want to be absent for either responsibility,” family or coaching.

Henderson had been an assistant since 2010, but took over the program in 2023, having not won more than two games in a season from 2017 through 2021, the COVID-shortened year.

His first season, the Mustangs went 2-8, then 1-8 the following year before jumping up to four wins in 2024, going 4-6. But this year’s squad went 6-4, with a 5-4 mark on Cutoff Weekend, though they missed the playoffs.

Henderson said he enjoyed his time coaching the program, and is “proud of all the things our players have accomplished as a team. I made the decision that was best for my family, and hope for nothing but the best for the Mustangs.”

He will remain a physical education and health teacher at Kennedy.

Henderson is the second coach to step down following the 2025 season. Spotswood’s Chris Meagher (32-17 in five seasons) in left to take a physical education job at Edison, while Toby Jefferis was not brought back at South Hunterdon after going 1-7 this season, although the Eagles were 9-2 just two seasons ago.

This year’s coaching carousel has been a small one so far. There were 14 coaching changes last year in the 59-team Big Central Conference, and more than half the league has coaches who have come on board in just the last three years, with many of the others longtimers like Rich Marchesi at South River, Dan Higgins at Piscataway, Hillsborough’s Kevin Carty Jr., or Kevin Kostibos at Summit, to name a few.