George Edwards (American football)

Last updated

George Edwards
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Position:Outside linebackers coach
Personal information
Born: (1967-01-16) January 16, 1967 (age 57)
Siler City, North Carolina, U.S.
Career information
High school: Siler City (NC) Jordan-Matthews
College: Duke
Career history
As a coach:
Coaching stats at PFR

George Edwards (born January 16, 1967) is an American football coach who is the outside linebackers coach for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League (NFL). He has previously served as a defensive coordinator for the Buffalo Bills, Washington Redskins and Minnesota Vikings.

Contents

Playing career

Edwards attended Duke University, where he was a four-year letterman for Duke Blue Devils football team. He was a two-year special teams captain and an honorable mention All-Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) selection at linebacker in 1989.

Coaching career

College

Edwards' first coaching job came at Florida, where he was an assistant in 1991. He also held assistant jobs at Appalachian State (1992–1995), Duke (1996) and Georgia (1997). At Georgia in 1997, Edwards tutored Richard Seymour and Marcus Stroud, who were both selected in the first round of the 2001 NFL draft.

Dallas Cowboys

Edwards held the position of linebackers coach for the Dallas Cowboys from 1998 to 2001. Linebacker Dexter Coakley was selected to two Pro Bowls under Edwards tutelage and led the team in tackles all four seasons in that span.

Washington Redskins

In 2002, Edwards moved on to the Washington Redskins under the title of Assistant Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers coach. That season linebacker LaVar Arrington had his most productive career year, recording 107 tackles and 11 quarterback sacks to earn a Pro Bowl selection. Each of the team's three starting linebackers - Arrington, Jessie Armstead and Jeremiah Trotter - surpassed 100 tackles that season.

The following season, Edwards was promoted to the role of defensive coordinator. The team had two Pro Bowlers on defense that season - Arrington and cornerback Champ Bailey.

Cleveland Browns

Edwards served as linebackers coach for the Cleveland Browns for one season in 2004.

Miami Dolphins

After his stint in Cleveland, Edwards became linebackers coach of the Miami Dolphins under first-year head coach Nick Saban. He served in that capacity for five seasons and was one of only two members of the coaching staff retained after Cam Cameron was fired after the 2007 season. Edwards left Miami to become the University of Florida defensive coordinator under head coach Urban Meyer. [1] Weeks later, he left Florida and accepted a job as defensive coordinator for the Buffalo Bills.

Buffalo Bills

On February 4, 2010, the Buffalo Bills confirmed that Edwards accepted the job as the Buffalo Bills' defensive coordinator, replacing Perry Fewell. He was fired on January 2, 2012, and replaced by Dave Wannstedt. [2]

Miami Dolphins

On January 30, 2012, Edwards was named linebackers coach for the Miami Dolphins under defensive coordinator Kevin Coyle and head coach Joe Philbin. This is his second stint with the Dolphins as a position coach.

Minnesota Vikings

On January 16, 2014, Edwards was hired by the Minnesota Vikings to be their defensive coordinator under first-year head coach, Mike Zimmer. [3] Edwards and Zimmer had previously worked together from 1998 to 2000 for the Dallas Cowboys on defense.

The Vikings defense allowed 21.4 points per game in 2014, ranked 11th in the NFL. [4]

Edwards improved the Vikings defense in 2015, as they allowed just 18.9 points per game, ranked 5th in the NFL. [5]

Dallas Cowboys

On January 24, 2020, Edwards was hired by the Dallas Cowboys to become their Senior Defensive Assistant under Mike Nolan as Defensive Coordinator and head coach Mike McCarthy.

Edwards was among five Cowboys coaches let go at the conclusion of the 2022 season. [6]

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

On February 21, 2023, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers hired Edwards as their outside linebackers coach. [7]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jimmy Johnson (American football coach)</span> American football broadcaster, coach and executive (born 1943)

James William Johnson is an American sports analyst and former football coach. Johnson served as a head football coach on the collegiate level from 1979 to 1988 and in the National Football League (NFL) for nine seasons. He is the first head football coach to win both a college football national championship and a Super Bowl, achieving the former with University of Miami and the latter with the Dallas Cowboys.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jack Del Rio</span> American football player and coach (born 1963)

Jack Louis Del Rio Jr. is an American football coach and a former professional linebacker. He played college football as a linebacker at the University of Southern California before being drafted by the New Orleans Saints in the third round of the 1985 NFL draft. He also played for four other NFL teams before retiring in 1996.

Anthony Lee Weaver is an American football coach and former player who is the defensive coordinator for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League (NFL). He previously served for the Cleveland Browns, the Buffalo Bills, the Baltimore Ravens, the Houston Texans and the New York Jets. Weaver was a college football defensive end at Notre Dame and was drafted by the Ravens in the second round of the 2002 NFL draft. He also previously played for the Texans.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zach Thomas</span> American football player (born 1973)

Zachary Michael Thomas is an American former professional football player who was a linebacker in the National Football League (NFL) for 13 seasons. He played college football for the Texas Tech Red Raiders, and was recognized as a unanimous All-American. He was selected in the fifth round, 22nd pick, in the 1996 NFL draft by the Miami Dolphins, and played for the Dolphins in his first 12 seasons in the NFL, before playing his 13th and final season with the Dallas Cowboys.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dave Wannstedt</span> American football player, coach, executive (born 1952)

David Wannstedt is a former American football coach. He has been the head coach of the Chicago Bears and Miami Dolphins of the National Football League (NFL). He was also the head coach of the University of Pittsburgh football team from 2005 to 2010. He also was a long-time assistant to Jimmy Johnson with the Dallas Cowboys, Miami Hurricanes, and Oklahoma State Cowboys as well as an associate of Johnson when both were assistants at the University of Pittsburgh.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dom Capers</span> American football player and coach (born 1950)

Ernest Dominic Capers is an American football coach who is a senior defensive assistant for the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League (NFL). He was previously the inaugural head coach of the Panthers and the Houston Texans for four seasons each. Capers is the only head coach to lead two different NFL expansion teams during their first seasons.

Robert Vinson Smith, is an American former professional football player who was a linebacker in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the East Carolina Pirates. Smith played in the NFL for the Atlanta Falcons, Pittsburgh Steelers, Dallas Cowboys, Chicago Bears and New Orleans Saints. He won Super Bowl XXVII with Dallas over the Buffalo Bills.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ken Norton Jr.</span> American football player and coach (born 1966)

Kenneth Howard Norton Jr. is an American football coach and former player who is the linebackers coach for the Washington Commanders of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the UCLA Bruins and was selected by the Dallas Cowboys in the second round of the 1988 NFL draft.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Leslie Frazier</span> American football player and coach (born 1959)

Leslie Antonio Frazier is an American football coach and former player. He is currently the assistant head coach of the Seattle Seahawks. He played professional football as a cornerback for the Chicago Bears in the National Football League (NFL), winning a Super Bowl in the 1985 season.

Jim Bates is a former American football coach in the National Football League (NFL), most recently serving as defensive coordinator of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He primarily ran a 4–3 scheme, using fast, undersized linebackers. Bates served as interim head coach for the Miami Dolphins during the 2004 NFL season.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Monte Kiffin</span> American football coach (1940–2024)

Monte George Kiffin was an American football coach. He is widely considered to have been one of the preeminent defensive coordinators in modern football, as well as one of the greatest defensive coordinators in NFL history. Father of the widely imitated "Tampa 2" defense, Kiffin's concepts are among the most influential in modern college and pro football.

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

Randy Leonard Shannon is an American football coach and former player. He is the linebackers coach and co-defensive coordinator for Florida State. Shannon was the head coach at the University of Miami from 2007 to 2010 and has served as an assistant coach for the National Football League (NFL)'s Miami Dolphins and several college teams, including stints as the defensive coordinator for the Miami Hurricanes, the Florida Gators, and the UCF Knights. He won the Frank Broyles Award as the nation's top collegiate assistant coach while at Miami in 2001.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rob Ryan</span> American football coach (born 1962)

Robert Allen Ryan is an American football coach who is currently the senior defensive assistant for the Las Vegas Raiders of the National Football League (NFL). Ryan has served as a defensive coordinator or assistant coach for seven different NFL teams. He was the linebackers coach for the New England Patriots when they won both Super Bowl XXXVI and Super Bowl XXXVIII. Ryan is the son of Buddy Ryan and the twin brother of Rex Ryan.

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

James J. Schwartz is an American football coach who is the defensive coordinator for the Cleveland Browns of the National Football League (NFL). He was head coach of the Detroit Lions from 2009 to 2013. He was also defensive coordinator for the Tennessee Titans from 2001 to 2008, Buffalo Bills in 2014, and Philadelphia Eagles from 2016 to 2020. In addition, Schwartz was the Senior Defensive Assistant for the Titans from 2021 to 2022. He won Super Bowl LII with the Eagles in 2018.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mike Zimmer</span> American football coach (born 1956)

Michael Zimmer is an American football coach who is the defensive coordinator for the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League (NFL). He previously served as head coach of the NFL's Minnesota Vikings from 2014 to 2021. Prior to that, Zimmer served as a defensive assistant for the Cowboys, Atlanta Falcons, and Cincinnati Bengals. He also won Super Bowl XXX with the Cowboys in 1996.

Theodore John Cottrell is an American football coach and former player. He was formerly the defensive coordinator for the Buffalo Bills, New York Jets, Minnesota Vikings, and the San Diego Chargers in the National Football League (NFL). In 2009, he served as head coach for the New York Sentinels of the United Football League (UFL). Ten years later, he was the linebackers coach for the Birmingham Iron of the Alliance of American Football (AAF), and worked as the defensive coordinator for the Houston Roughnecks of the XFL in 2020.

John Alfred Roper is an American former professional football player who was a linebacker in the National Football League (NFL) for the Chicago Bears, Dallas Cowboys and the Philadelphia Eagles. He played college football for the Texas A&M Aggies, earning consensus All-American honors in 1987. Roper was selected in the second round of the 1989 NFL draft. He was on the Cowboys' Super Bowl XXVIII championship team that beat the Buffalo Bills.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2008 Miami Dolphins season</span> 43rd season in franchise history; greatest single-season turnaround in NFL history

The 2008 Miami Dolphins season was the franchise's 39th season in the National Football League (NFL), the 43rd overall and the first under new head coach Tony Sparano. During the regular season the Dolphins completed the greatest single-season turnaround in NFL history, going from a 1–15 regular season record in 2007 to an 11–5 record in 2008. The previous record for most improved team one year after a 1–15 season belonged to the 1997 New York Jets, who went 9–7. The 1999 Indianapolis Colts were the only other team to accomplish a 10-game turnaround, winning 13 games after winning 3 in 1998, which was also the first year of the Peyton Manning era. Additionally, Miami won the AFC East, becoming the first team in NFL history to win their division after only having one win the previous season. The division title also snapped the Patriots' 5-year streak of winning the AFC East. Their season would come to an end in the Wild Card round when they were defeated by the Baltimore Ravens, which coincidentally, was also the only team they beat last season in overtime to save the Dolphins from suffering a winless season. With their 11–5 record and division title, the Dolphins had hopes of achieving their first playoff victory since 2000, or to possibly become the first team ever to make the Super Bowl after winning only one game the previous season, similar to how the Carolina Panthers went 1–15 in 2001 and made Super Bowl XXXVIII just two seasons later.

Kacy Rodgers is an American football coach, currently serving as the run game coordinator and defensive line coach for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the University of Tennessee and was a part of the Pittsburgh Steelers practice squad in the NFL in 1992. Since then, Rodgers has served as an assistant coach at the college and professional levels.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Matt Eberflus</span> American football player and coach (born 1970)

Matthew Charles Eberflus is an American football coach who is the head coach for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League (NFL). He previously served as the defensive coordinator for the Indianapolis Colts from 2018 to 2021. He previously worked as the linebacker coach for the Cleveland Browns and Dallas Cowboys, and has coached at Toledo and Missouri.

References

  1. ↑ Beard, Franz (January 7, 2010). "Gators Hire Edwards As DC". Gator Country.
  2. ↑ Smith, Michael David (January 2, 2012). "Bills Fire Edwards, Promote Wannstedt to Defensive Coordinator". NBC Sports. Retrieved January 14, 2016.
  3. ↑ Mansour, A.J. (January 16, 2014). "Vikings Reportedly Hire George Edwards To Fill Defensive Coordinator Role". KFAN.com. Archived from the original on January 16, 2014. Retrieved January 16, 2014.
  4. ↑ "2014 NFL Team Defensive Stats". National Football League. Retrieved January 14, 2016.
  5. ↑ "2015 NFL Team Defensive Stats". National Football League. Retrieved January 14, 2016.
  6. ↑ Nick Selbe (January 25, 2023). "Cowboys fire five assistant coaches in wake of playoff ouster". SI. Retrieved January 26, 2023.
  7. ↑ "Report: Bucs hire Cowboys' George Edwards as OLBs coach". bucswire.usatoday.com. February 21, 2023. Retrieved January 4, 2024.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.