James Frederic Root (August 17, 1931 – May 26, 2003) was an American gridiron football player and coach.

He played professionally as a quarterback in the National Football League (NFL) for two seasons with the Chicago Cardinals (1953, 1956) and in the Canadian Football League (CFL) for one season with the Ottawa Rough Riders (1954).

Root served as the head football coach at the University of New Hampshire from 1968 to 1971 and at the College of William & Mary from 1972 to 1979, compiling a career college football record of 57–62–2 in 12 seasons.

He played college football at Miami University under Woody Hayes and Ara Parseghian.

This biographical article relating to an American football quarterback born in the 1930s is a stub.