He is in the midst of his first season as football head coach at Minneapolis Roosevelt, his second stint heading up the Teddies.
Rodney Lossow’s Minneapolis Roosevelt football team recently beat Minneapolis South 19-9, the Teddies’ second victory of the season. He took over a program that only won once last year and was winless in 2021 and 2022. (Aaron Lavinsky/The Minnesota Star Tribune)
A former All-Big Ten offensive lineman at Wisconsin, Lossow grew up in south Minneapolis and played professionally in the NFL, the Canadian Football League and the now-defunct World League of American Football. He graduated from South High School in 1983 where a hardscrabble background led to success on the football field and a scholarship.
After his playing days, he became a head coach in football, softball, gymnastics, badminton and soccer. He’s also an adapted P.E. teacher, splitting his time between South in the mornings and Roosevelt in the afternoons.
When his ailment forced him to step away, though, he sought other methods of making an impact.
Lossow, a devout Christian, built a ministry when he first began teaching and coaching, the R.O.C.K. Sports Ministry, which catered to athletes. With more time on his hands, he leaned into the ministry.
“Last fall, I was sitting with my middle son and I felt the calling again. I needed to help out,” Lossow said.
