Mark Stewart, a former All-American linebacker at Washington, has left the Meadowdale High School football program after 13 seasons to become head coach at Garfield.

Stewart was a teacher at Garfield for five years in the 1990s, and head coach there in 1992 and '93.

"It's probably a place, at one point, I thought about going back to," Stewart said Monday. "But if you asked me, I thought it was maybe going to be when I retired."

Meadowdale went 7-3 last season and lost in a round-of-32 playoff game to Class 3A state runner-up Eastside Catholic, 27-13.

Stewart's career record is 136-79 (.633) in 21 seasons, including 87-49 at Meadowdale. He arrived at the Lynnwood school in 2000, a year after the Mavericks went 0-9.

"It was a similar challenge I'm taking on here," Stewart said. "It's been nice to be a part of the building process."

Garfield went 1-8 last season under David Myers and is just 7-39 (.152) the last five seasons.

Stewart told his Meadowdale players of his decision on Monday and said he got a little "choked up" in the meeting because he had watched many of his players since they were playing youth football.

"It's not a place I was looking to leave, but sometimes you kind of go, 'Boy, that will be a pretty good challenge'," Stewart said. "I'm 53 now and just young enough to see if I can get the program turned around and pointed in the right direction. One more time. Here we go."To be a part of that building process is always kind of cool. You're going to try and go some place and make it better so when you leave it's much better than when you came."

In addition to coaching football, Stewart said he will also share some responsibilities in the athletic department.

Stewart was a first-team All-American linebacker at Washington and played in the Rose Bowl. He was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings in 1983 and played two years in the NFL.

Jayson Jenks: 206-464-8277 or jjenks@seattletimes.com