A native of Seneca Falls, New York, Valesente attended Ithaca College in the early 1960s, where he played football as a halfback and defensive back.
Three months later, Mason, Valesente and two others were indicted in Pima County Superior Court on charges that they had "bilked" the university out of $13,000 in travel funds.
[6] A jury found Mason not guilty following a trial in 1981, and Arizona Attorney General Bob Corbin announced in September 1981 that all remaining criminal charges had been dismissed against Valesente and the other defendants.
[1] While at Mississippi State, he helped direct the team to a win over the University of Kansas in the Hall of Fame Bowl in 1981.
[1] In April 1984, Valesente was hired as the assistant head coach and offensive coordinator at the University of Kansas.
During Valesente's two seasons as head coach, the Jayhawks compiled a record of 4–17–1 and went 0–13–1 against Big Eight Conference opponents.
[15] At the time of his firing, Valesente was in the second year of a four-year contract, which athletic director Bob Frederick said would be honored.
Valesente spent the 1988 season as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for the Maryland Terrapins football team.
[1] After two years with the Steelers, Valesente was hired by the Green Bay Packers in January 1992 to serve as their linebackers coach.
[22] In January 1999, George Seifert hired Valesente as defensive backs coach with the Carolina Panthers.
[29] He left Kiel before the 2011 season because of health issues,[30] but later returned to the sideline for one game during the German Bowl XXXIII loss to the Schwäbisch Hall Unicorns.