A Provo legend: Former Bulldogs player and coach Chambers has jersey retired
A Provo legend
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- Former Provo High player and coach Kirk Chambers holds up a framed jersey during a pre-game ceremony where his number was retired on Friday, August 21, 2026.
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- The retired uniform of former Provo High player and coach Kirk Chambers is revealed in a pre-game ceremony on Friday, August 21, 2026.
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- Former Provo player and coach Kirk Chambers poses with family before a jersey retirement ceremony on Friday, August 21, 2026.
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- Provo Teave Brown (9) crosses the goal line to score a touchdown against Crimson Cliffs in a high school football game on Friday, August 21, 2026.
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- Provo’s Brexton Hunter celebrates after returning an interception for a touchdown against Crimson Cliffs in a high school football game on Friday, August 21, 2026.
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- Provo quarterback Freddie Beesley (10) throws a pass against Crimson Cliffs in a high school football game on Friday, August 21, 2026.
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- Provo’s Julius Pan (7) celebrates after making a defensive play against Crimson Cliffs in a high school football game on Friday, August 21, 2026.
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- Provo’s Penieli Pan (right) dives past a pair of Crimson Cliffs defenders in a high school football game on Friday, August 21, 2026.
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- Provo’s Amilale Albert (right) tries to jump on a loose ball against Crimson Cliffs in a high school football game on Friday, August 21, 2026.
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- Provo’s Brexton Hunter (middle) celebrates with teammates after returning an interception for a touchdown against Crimson Cliffs in a high school football game on Friday, August 21, 2026.
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- Provo’s Teave Brown (9) carries the ball against Crimson Cliffs in a high school football game on Friday, August 21, 2026.
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- Provo’s Brexton Hunter (left) tries to avoid a tackler in a high school football game against Crimson Cliffs on Friday, August 21, 2026.
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- Provo’s Teave Brown (right) pulls down a Crimson Cliffs ball carrier in a high school football game on Friday, August 21, 2026.
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- Provo’s Amilale Albert (left) evades a tackler in a high school football game against Crimson Cliffs on Friday, August 21, 2026.
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- The Provo student section reacts to a play in a high school football game against Crimson Cliffs on Friday, August 21, 2026.
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- Provo’s Rex Neilsen (74) greats teammates as they come off the field in a high school football game against Crimson Cliffs on Friday, August 21, 2026.
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- Provo’s Teave Brown (center) refuses to go down in a high school football game against Crimson Cliffs on Friday, August 21, 2026.
Throughout his long football journey, Kirk Chambers never found himself far away from his roots.
Chambers’ legacy at Provo High School, which included stops at Stanford and the NFL, was on full display Friday when he was honored by the school with the retirement of his No. 66 jersey.
Surrounded by family, friends and the Provo players, Chambers was given a framed jersey and another one was revealed just under the press box where it will hang as a reminder of his contributions.
Chambers was humbled by it all and was truly overwhelmed in accepting the attention.
“There are many former Bulldogs who are deserving of this as well,” Chambers said. “I recognize that, but I just feel very privileged to be a part of the Provo High community. I’m just a west Provo kid. My dad taught at Provo High for 35 years. I was one of these little kids, little ragamuffins running around on the field on game days. I just bleed green, you know, for good or for bad. It’s just nice to be home and it’s wonderful to be recognized by your friends and peers, people you love, and the people you grew up with. What a privilege. I feel very blessed.”
Chambers was a three-year starter and all-stater for the Bulldogs on both the offensive and defensive lines, graduating in 1997. He served a two-year church mission to Berlin, Germany, before joining the football team at Stanford. He started 45 games as on offensive tackle for the Cardinal and was selected in the sixth round of the NFL draft by the Cleveland Browns. HE also played for the Buffalo Bills, the Cincinnati Bengals, the Detroit Lions and the Atlanta Falcons in his eight-year NFL career.
He was the head coach at Spanish Fork High School for three seasons before returning to Provo as an athletic director and offensive line coach in 2015. He took over as head coach of the Bulldogs in 2020 and led the Bulldogs to three straight region titles, the last in 2025 where Provo advanced to the state semifinals for the first time in 30 years. At then conclusion of the season, Chambers announced he was stepping down from the head coaching job at his alma mater.
“My goal was always to give back, and I didn’t really have a number in mind,” Chambers said. “I thought it would be fun to kind of give back as many years as I took from higher level football, and we surpassed that years ago. And I love to coach. It’s always the boys and my fellow coaches that brought me back. But there’s times and seasons for everything, so it’s great to be moving on to what’s next a little bit in my life and spending some more time with my sweetheart (his wife, Marilyn). That’s that’s also been important here, so I’m excited for that.”
Chambers, who teaches finance at Provo High, said he’s in a master’s program at Utah Valley University in certified financial planning.
“It’s what I teach, it’s what I enjoy and I just love the content,” he said. “I really don’t have a plan other than getting my master’s and see where it goes from there.”
Chambers said he has a son in fifth grade that may pull him back to the football field at some point.
“If he twists my arm, I’ll probably come back and coach him because I’ve coached everybody else’s kids,” Chambers said. “It’s time for me to coach my own kids. I would look forward to that. So maybe I’m just taking a little break right now to save some juice for kids his age.”
The Bulldogs, under former assistant Viliami Halasima, dropped to 0-2 this season after a 31-13 loss to Crimson Cliffs. Provo led 13-7 at halftime but couldn’t stop the Mustangs potent quick passing game and was outscored 24-0 in the second half.
“It’s our youth showing,” Halasima said. “We made some tough mistakes to bounce back from. That’s where we’ve got to grow up fast. Our schedule is not going to get any easier. We’ve got Springville and Salem Hills next, so we’ve got to figure it out.”
Senior Brexton Hunter was a highlight for the Bulldogs, with two interceptions including a pick six on Crimson Cliffs’ first offensive play.
Halasima said he’s well aware of the big shoes he is filling.
“Man, he means everything,” Halasima said. “That’s why these losses hurt even more. Coach Chambers set the standard here, and there’s no better story, playing his whole entire career here, going on to the NFL, coming back, and taking essentially a program that was kind of falling apart and bringing it back. He accomplished a lot of things that no one’s done here at Provo High, so it (losing) stings. It hurts for me, for him, and that’s the that’s the standard we have to get back to, and that falls on me.
“From Coach Chambers I learned that your culture and your brand of football is everything. You can have all the talent in the world, but if you don’t have something to fall back on, and you don’t have something that carries your through games like this, you find yourself in some bad spots.”
CRIMSON CLIFFS 31, PROVO 13
Crimson Cliffs 7 0 7 17 — 31
Provo 7 6 0 0 — 13
P-Hunter 20 interception return (Brinley kick)
CC-Whitmore 34 pass from Andresen (Sparks kick)
P-Brown 7 run (kick failed)
CC-Tebbs 14 pass from Andresen (Sparks kick)
CC-Alisa 2 run (Sparks kick)
CC-Bastian 56 pass from Andresen (Sparks kick)
CC-Sparks 30 FG
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A Provo legend: Former Bulldogs player and coach Chambers has jersey retired
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