Brian Baker (American football)

Last updated

Brian Baker
Personal information
Born: (1962-06-20) June 20, 1962 (age 62) [1]
Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.
Career information
College: Maryland
Career history
As a coach:
Career highlights and awards

Brian Michael Baker (born June 20, 1962) is an American football coach, former linebacker, and former defensive line coach for the Indianapolis Colts. [2] He had been coaching for over 30 years in football both college and the National Football League (NFL) prior to his joining the Colts. [3]

Contents

Playing career

A Baltimore native, Brian played outside linebacker for the Maryland Terrapins between 1980 and their ACC championship in 1983. [4] During his time there, he was teammates with Boomer Esiason and Frank Reich. [5] In 1984, he spent his time working as a student assistant for the Terps. In 1985, he earned a degree in marketing while serving as a graduate assistant.

Coaching career

After the two years coaching at his alma mater Baker went to Army where he served as the running backs coach for 1986. Following his year at Army Baker coached linebackers at Georgia Tech for nine years. In 1995 he added the defensive coordinator. In 1996 he made the leap to the NFL coaching the defensive line coach of the San Diego Chargers as a part of his Maryland head coach Bobby Ross' staff. He left the Chargers with Ross to join the Lions in 1997 coaching the same position, he would stay with Detroit for 4 years of Ross' tenure. For the next five years he would coach for the Minnesota Vikings spending three as a defensive line coach and two coaching linebackers. From 2006 to 2008 Baker served as the defensive line coach for the St. Louis Rams. From 2009 to 2010, Baker coached the defensive line coach for the Panthers. [6] For the next two seasons Baker served as the defensive line coach for the Dallas Cowboys. [7] During his time there, he worked with three Pro Bowlers, DeMarcus Ware, Jay Ratliff, and Anthony Spencer. In 2013 Baker was the outside linebackers coach for the Browns.In 2014 [8] he worked as the outside linebackers coach for the Washington Redskins. [9] In 2015 he worked as an assistant Texas high school football coach. From 2016 [10] to 2018 he was the defensive line coach for Mississippi State. In 2019 he worked as Alabama's defensive line coach under Nick Saban. In 2020 he returned to the NFL as the defensive line coach for the Colts under Frank Reich. [11] [12]

Personal life

Baker and his wife, Nevada, have four daughters, Norell, Nicole, Jade and Jasmine [13]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ron Rivera</span> American football player and coach (born 1962)

Ronald Eugene Rivera is an American former professional football player and coach in the National Football League (NFL). He played nine seasons as a linebacker for the Chicago Bears and was a member of their 1985 team that won Super Bowl XX. He became a head coach and was twice named the NFL Coach of the Year with the Carolina Panthers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Frank Reich</span> American football player and coach (born 1961)

Frank Michael Reich is an American former football player and coach in the National Football League (NFL). He played 14 seasons as a quarterback in the NFL. He became a coach afterwards, including head coaching stints with the Indianapolis Colts and Carolina Panthers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marty Schottenheimer</span> American football player and coach (1943–2021)

Martin Edward Schottenheimer was an American football linebacker and coach who served as a head coach in the National Football League (NFL) for 21 seasons. He was the head coach of the Cleveland Browns from 1984 to 1988, the Kansas City Chiefs from 1989 to 1998, the Washington Redskins in 2001, and the San Diego Chargers from 2002 to 2006. Eighth in career wins at 205 and seventh in regular season wins at 200, Schottenheimer has the most wins among the league's head coaches to not win an NFL championship. After coaching in the NFL, he won a 2011 championship in his one season with the Virginia Destroyers of the United Football League (UFL). He was inducted to the Kansas City Chiefs Hall of Fame in 2010.

Marco Darnell Coleman is an American football coach and former player who is the defensive line coach for Georgia Tech and former assistant defensive line coach for the Oakland Raiders of the National Football League (NFL). A former American football defensive end, the fourteen-year veteran originally was drafted by the Miami Dolphins in the 1992 NFL draft as a first round pick. He played at Georgia Tech and won the 1990 college football national championship and went to one Pro Bowl before retiring from professional football after the 2005 season.

Brian Cornelius Schottenheimer is an American football coach who is the offensive coordinator for the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League (NFL). He previously served as the offensive coordinator for the Seattle Seahawks, New York Jets, St. Louis Rams and the University of Georgia and also served as an assistant coach for the Washington Redskins, San Diego Chargers, Indianapolis Colts, and Jacksonville Jaguars.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Greg Manusky</span> American football coach (born 1966)

Gregory Manusky is an American football coach and former linebacker who currently serves as the inside linebackers coach for the Denver Broncos. Manusky started his coaching career as a linebacker coach for two teams over six seasons. From there, he transitioned to a defensive coordinator for four teams over 12 seasons, totaling 19 seasons as a defensive coach. Prior to coaching, Manusky played as a linebacker in the National Football League (NFL) for three teams over 12 seasons. Manusky played college football at Colgate University and high school football at Dallas High School.

John Teerlinck was an American professional football player and coach. He won three Super Bowls as a defensive line coach in the National Football League (NFL) with the Denver Broncos and Indianapolis Colts (2006). The annual award for NFL's best defensive line coach is named after Teerlinck. Twenty-three of the players he coached were selected to the Pro Bowl and three were inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. This success has led Teerlinck to be regarded as one of the NFL's greatest defensive line coaches.

Brian Francisco Flores is an American professional football coach who is the defensive coordinator for the Minnesota Vikings of the National Football League (NFL). He began his NFL career with the New England Patriots, where he served as an assistant coach from 2008 to 2018. Flores was New England's defensive playcaller during his final season coaching for the team, which concluded with a victory in Super Bowl LIII. Following the victory, he served as the head coach of the Miami Dolphins from 2019 to 2021.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gus Bradley</span> American football coach and former player (born 1966)

Paul Casey "Gus" Bradley is an American football coach who is the defensive coordinator for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League (NFL). He came to prominence as the defensive coordinator for the Seattle Seahawks from 2009 to 2012, where he was the original playcaller of the team's Legion of Boom secondary. Bradley later served as the head coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars from 2013 to 2016. Following his dismissal from Jacksonville, he returned to assistant coaching and became the Colts' defensive coordinator in 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Terrance Knighton</span> American football player and coach (born 1986)

Terrance O'Neil Knighton is an American football coach and former defensive tackle. He was selected by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the third round of the 2009 NFL draft after playing college football at Temple. Knighton is nicknamed "Pot Roast" and "Mutton Chop" by his teammates. He has also played for the Denver Broncos, Washington Redskins and spent time with the New England Patriots prior to the 2016 NFL season.

John Pagano is an American football coach who is a senior defensive assistant for the Washington Commanders of the National Football League (NFL). A longtime assistant coach with the San Diego Chargers, Pagano also coached for the Houston Texans, Oakland Raiders, Indianapolis Colts, New Orleans Saints, and Denver Broncos. He is the younger brother of former coach Chuck Pagano.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Caraun Reid</span> American football player (born 1991)

Caraun Reid is a former American football defensive tackle. He was selected by the Detroit Lions in the fifth round of the 2014 NFL draft. He played college football at Princeton. He was also a member of the San Diego Chargers, Washington Redskins, Indianapolis Colts, Dallas Cowboys, Arizona Cardinals, Jacksonville Jaguars, Carolina Panthers, Tennessee Titans, Los Angeles Chargers, and DC Defenders.

Carlos Fields Jr. is an American college football coach and former linebacker. He is the defensive coordinator and linebackers coach for Virginia State University, positions he has held since 2022. He played college football for Winston-Salem State. After going undrafted in the 2014 NFL draft he signed with the Oakland Raiders of the National Football League (NFL). He also played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, New York Giants, Indianapolis Colts, Washington Redskins, Los Angeles Chargers, and Philadelphia Eagles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bud Dupree</span> American football player (born 1993)

Alvin "Bud" Dupree Jr. is an American professional football linebacker for the Los Angeles Chargers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Kentucky, and was drafted in the first round of the 2015 NFL draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers. He has also played for the Tennessee Titans and Atlanta Falcons.

Garrett Ross Sickels is a former American football linebacker. He played college football at Penn State, and signed as an undrafted free agent with Indianapolis Colts the in 2017. He played for three seasons, signing with four teams.

Jay Rodgers is the Defensive Line coach for the Atlanta Falcons and former quarterback. He also recently served as the defensive line coach and run game coordinator for the Los Angeles Chargers. He was also previously the defensive line coach of the Chicago Bears from 2015 to 2020 and the Denver Broncos from 2012 to 2014.

Mike Elston is an American football coach and former player who is currently the defensive line coach for the Los Angeles Chargers of the National Football League (NFL). Prior Mike Elston was the defensive line coach for the University of Michigan.

Brandon John Staley is an American football coach who is the assistant head coach for the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League (NFL). He previously served as the head coach of the Los Angeles Chargers from 2021 to 2023, defensive coordinator for the Los Angeles Rams in 2020, and also served as an assistant coach for the Denver Broncos and Chicago Bears.

Diron Reynolds is an American football coach who is currently the defensive line coach at Arizona State. He has also coached at Michigan State, Stanford, Oklahoma, Wake Forest, and Indiana as well as the professional level with the Indianapolis Colts, Miami Dolphins, and Minnesota Vikings of the National Football League (NFL).

References

  1. "Brian Baker NFL Coaching Record and Bio". profootballarchives.com. Retrieved August 16, 2023.
  2. ""Brian Baker [Could Bring] the Colts back to glory" - Analyst Praises Indianapolis Colts' New Defensive Line Coach". EssentiallySports. June 16, 2020. Retrieved January 22, 2021.
  3. Holder, Stephen. "After 36 years of coaching, Colts' Brian Baker is still willing to learn". The Athletic. Retrieved January 22, 2021.
  4. Steinberg, Dan. "Redskins OLB coach Brian Baker at Maryland". Washington Post. ISSN   0190-8286 . Retrieved January 22, 2021.
  5. Wilson, Phillip B. (June 9, 2020). "Brian Baker Has Deep Colts Connections". Sports Illustrated Indianapolis Colts News, Analysis and More. Retrieved January 22, 2021.
  6. Quackenbush, Eric. "Panthers Add Brian Baker as New Defensive Line Coach". Bleacher Report. Retrieved October 31, 2021.
  7. "Cowboys mailbag: DL coach has career plan". ESPN.com. February 23, 2011. Retrieved July 7, 2021.
  8. "Press Release: Redskins hire Brian Baker". RSN. Retrieved September 4, 2021.
  9. "Brian Baker Won't Return as Redskins' OLB Coach". Riggo's Rag. January 21, 2015. Retrieved September 4, 2021.
  10. Evans, Thayer (February 29, 2016). "Brian Baker accepts job as Miss. State DL coach". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved September 4, 2021.
  11. "Alabama assistant coach Brian Baker hired by Indianapolis Colts". Saturday Down South. February 6, 2020. Retrieved October 31, 2021.
  12. Wilson, Phillip B. (June 9, 2020). "Brian Baker Has Deep Colts Connections". Sports Illustrated Indianapolis Colts News, Analysis and More. Retrieved October 31, 2021.
  13. "The Official Website of the Indianapolis Colts". www.colts.com. Retrieved January 22, 2021.