John Kelsey (American football)

John Kelsey is a former American football coach and player. He served as the head football coach at Wartburg College in Waverly, Iowa, from 1999 to 2023, compiling a record of 194–60. Under Kelsey's leadership, Wartburg won 13 Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (IIAC) titles (later known as the American Rivers Conference) and made 14 NCAA Division III playoff appearances, reaching the national semifinals in 2003, 2004, and 2017.

Prior to coaching at Wartburg, Kelsey played college football at Cornell College in Mount Vernon, Iowa. He began his coaching career as an assistant coach at Cornell and later at Coe College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. He also served as the defensive coordinator at Wartburg before being named head coach.

Kelsey is known for his consistent success and building a strong program culture at Wartburg. He was recognized as the IIAC Coach of the Year multiple times.