Donny Panapada resigned as Stamford High School’s head football coach during the first half of an Oct. 23 game at Fairfield Warde, a startling midgame change that immediately altered the team’s plans for the rest of the season.
Stamford was already facing a difficult night, trailing 30-0 at halftime before going on to lose 42-14. Panapada had been Stamford’s head coach since 2022, and the team entered the game at 3-3.
According to Stamford High School principal Matthew Forker, Panapada engaged in exchanges with student athletes and demonstrated poor judgment. Forker said Panapada announced his resignation to both his players and Athletic Director Chris Passamano during the game.
Forker also said that after meetings the following day with Panapada, select players and the coaching staff, it became clear there was not a viable path for Panapada to rescind his resignation and resume his role as head coach. On Tuesday after the game, Forker emailed football parents and players about the situation.
What happens next for Stamford
Stamford’s current coaching staff will handle the rest of the 2026 season collectively. The next game is Oct. 31 at home against St. Joseph.
The resignation closes a notable run for Panapada at Stamford. He took over in 2022, helped the program reach the CIAC Class LL playoffs as the No. 7 seed in 2023 and end a 28-year playoff drought, and then guided the Black Knights to a 7-4 finish after a 47-21 loss to Greenwich in the quarterfinals. Stamford had gone 1-9 in each of the previous two seasons before this year’s 3-3 start.
Forker said Panapada acknowledged poor judgment and expressed remorse for his actions on Friday night. He also said Panapada has the support of families who believe he has been a positive influence, and he noted that Panapada’s contributions to the Stamford High School football program are not diminished by the circumstances surrounding his resignation.
