Rick Dennison

Last updated

Rick Dennison
New Orleans Saints
Position:Senior offensive assistant
Personal information
Born: (1958-06-22) June 22, 1958 (age 66)
Kalispell, Montana, U.S.
Height:6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Weight:220 lb (100 kg)
Career information
High school: Fort Collins (CO) Rocky Mountain
College: Colorado State
Undrafted: 1980
Career history
As a player:
 * Offseason and/or practice squad member only
As a coach:
Career highlights and awards
As coach
Career NFL statistics
Games played:128
Sacks:6.5
Interceptions:4
Stats at Pro Football Reference   OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
Record  at Pro Football Reference

Rick Steven Dennison [2] (born June 22, 1958) is an American football coach and former linebacker who is currently the senior offensive assistant for the New Orleans Saints. He was the offensive line coach and run game coordinator for the Minnesota Vikings of the National Football League (NFL) from 2019 to 2020. An assistant in the NFL since 1995, he served as offensive coordinator for the Denver Broncos (2006–2008, 2015–2016), Houston Texans (2010–2013), and Buffalo Bills (2017), and served as quarterbacks coach for the Baltimore Ravens in 2014. He was the special teams coach for the Super Bowl Champion Broncos in 1997 and 1998. A linebacker who spent his entire NFL playing career in Denver from 1982 to 1990, he appeared in Super Bowls XXI, XXII, and XXIV.

Contents

Early years

Dennison was born in Kalispell, Montana, on June 22, 1958. [3] His father George was the 16th President of The University of Montana from 1990 to 2010. [4] The younger Dennison starred in football, baseball, and basketball at Rocky Mountain High School where he graduated in 1976. [5]

Playing career

College

Dennison attended Colorado State University where he was a football letterman for the Rams in 1976, 1978 and 1979. Wearing uniform number 83 and primarily a tight end for head coach Sark Arslanian, Dennison also saw some action as a wide receiver. He was both a second-team Academic All-American and the recipient of the Merrill-Gheen Award as the university's most outstanding male scholar-athlete in his senior year. He earned a bachelor's and master's degree, both in civil engineering, in 1980 and 1982 respectively. [5] [6] [7]

National Football League

Dennison moved to linebacker when he entered the NFL. He played for the Denver Broncos from 1982 to 1990.

Coaching career

Early career

During a year off in 1993 for personal reasons, "Rico" assisted Suffield Academy in a successful New England football championship.

Denver Broncos

Dennison began his coaching career as an offensive assistant for the Denver Broncos in 1995 and would serve in this role until 1996. In 1997, Dennison was promoted to special teams coordinator and would serve in this role for four seasons. In 2001, Dennison shifted to the offensive line coach of the Broncos. In 2006, Dennison was promoted to offensive coordinator of the Broncos and would serve in this role from 2006 to 2008.

Houston Texans

In 2010, Dennison was hired by the Houston Texans as their offensive coordinator and served in this position from 2010 to 2013. Dennison's move to Houston reunited him with Texans head coach Gary Kubiak, who was a teammate of his in Denver between 1983 and 1990 and a fellow Broncos assistant coach between 1995 and 2005, and who he succeeded as Broncos offensive coordinator in 2006. On January 6, 2013, the Chicago Bears announced that they would interview Dennison for their head coaching position. [8]

Baltimore Ravens

Both Dennison and Kubiak were appointed quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator respectively of the Baltimore Ravens on January 27, 2014.

Denver Broncos (second stint)

In January 2015, Dennison returned to the position of offensive coordinator with the Broncos following the hiring of Kubiak as head coach. [9] On February 7, 2016, Dennison was part of the Broncos coaching staff that won Super Bowl 50. In the game, the Broncos defeated the Carolina Panthers by a score of 24–10. [10]

After the retirement of Kubiak following the 2016 season, Dennison was replaced by former San Diego Chargers head coach Mike McCoy as the Broncos' offensive coordinator. [11]

Buffalo Bills

On January 19, 2017, he was hired by the Buffalo Bills to serve on Sean McDermott's staff as offensive coordinator. [12] On January 12, 2018, Dennison was relieved of duty as offensive coordinator after one season that saw the Bills offense finish 29th overall despite making the postseason. [13]

New York Jets

On January 27, 2018, Dennison was hired by the New York Jets as their offensive line coach and run game coordinator under head coach Todd Bowles.

Minnesota Vikings

On February 8, 2019, Dennison was hired by the Minnesota Vikings as their offensive line coach and run game coordinator under head coach Mike Zimmer, replacing Clancy Barone and Andrew Janocko, who took over in place of Tony Sparano, who died prior to the 2018 season. [14] In 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic Dennison refused to take a vaccine and was promoted to a different job. Rick now serves as the Minnesota Vikings senior offensive advisor. [15] The reason for this promotion was because it will follow COVID-19 protocols, because of being able to avoid contact with players.

New Orleans Saints

On February 16, 2024, Dennison was hired to serve as the Senior offensive assistant for the New Orleans Saints. [16]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mike Shanahan</span> American football coach (born 1952)

Michael Edward Shanahan is an American football coach, best known as the head coach of the Denver Broncos of the National Football League (NFL) from 1995 to 2008. During his fourteen seasons with the Broncos, he led the team to two consecutive Super Bowl victories in XXXII and XXXIII; along with being the first Super Bowl championships in team history, they were the seventh team to win consecutive Super Bowls in NFL history. His head coaching career spanned a total of twenty seasons and also included stints with the Los Angeles Raiders and Washington Redskins. He is the father of San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wade Phillips</span> American football coach (born 1947)

Harold Wade Phillips is an American football coach who is currently the head coach of the San Antonio Brahmas of the United Football League (UFL). He has served as head coach of the Denver Broncos, Buffalo Bills, Dallas Cowboys, and Houston Roughnecks. He has also served as interim head coach for the New Orleans Saints, Atlanta Falcons, and the Houston Texans. Additionally, Phillips has long been considered to be among the best defensive coordinators in the NFL. In his long career, he has served as defensive coordinator in eight separate stints with seven different franchises. Multiple players under Phillips' system have won Defensive Player of the Year: Reggie White, Bryce Paup, Bruce Smith, J. J. Watt and Aaron Donald. Others under Phillips have won Defensive Rookie of the Year: Mike Croel and Shawne Merriman. In Phillips' lone Super Bowl victory, a defensive player would be named Super Bowl MVP: Von Miller.

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

Gary Wayne Kubiak is an American former professional football player and coach in the National Football League (NFL). He played as a quarterback for the Denver Broncos before coaching, serving as head coach for the Houston Texans from 2006 to 2013 and the Broncos from 2015 to 2016 before stepping down from the position on January 1, 2017, citing health reasons.

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

Nathan Troy Calhoun is an American football coach and former player. He is the head football coach at the United States Air Force Academy, a position he has held since the 2007 season.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carl Smith (American football)</span> American football coach (born 1948)

Carl Hamilton Smith is an American football coach who was the associate head coach for the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League (NFL). He had previously served as quarterbacks coach of the Cleveland Browns and offensive coordinator for the NFL's Jacksonville Jaguars and New Orleans Saints.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pat Shurmur</span> American football player and coach (born 1965)

Patrick Carl Shurmur is an American football coach who serves as the offensive coordinator at the University of Colorado Boulder. Prior to joining the staff at Colorado, he most recently served as the offensive coordinator for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League (NFL) from 2020 to 2021. A 32-year coaching veteran, Shurmur has 21 seasons of NFL experience, including the last 11 years as a head coach or offensive coordinator. Shurmur has four years of experience as a head coach, working in that role with the New York Giants from 2018 to 2019 and with the Cleveland Browns from 2011 to 2012. He also served as interim head coach for Philadelphia Eagles at the end of the 2015 season. He has been an offensive coordinator for seven seasons, previously coaching in that role with the Minnesota Vikings (2016–2017), Philadelphia Eagles (2013–2015) and the St. Louis Rams (2009–2010).

Reginald Wayne Herring is an American football coach and former player and most recently the linebackers coach for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League (NFL). A former linebacker at Florida State University, he began his coaching career in 1981. He has now coached for 36 years across college and the NFL. Herring arrived in Denver to coach linebackers in 2015 after previous stops in the league with Chicago (2014), Houston and Dallas (2008–10). Herring has coached nine linebackers who have made Pro Bowl appearances during their careers, including outside linebackers DeMarcus Ware (9), Mario Williams (4), and Connor Barwin (1), and inside linebackers Zach Thomas (7), Keith Brooking (5), Lance Briggs (7), Brian Cushing (1), Sean Lee (2) and DeMeco Ryans (2). Herring also served as the interim head football coach for the University of Arkansas in the 2008 Cotton Bowl Classic.

Clarence Barone is an American football coach who is the tight ends coach for the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League (NFL). He previously served as an assistant coach for the Minnesota Vikings, Denver Broncos, San Diego Chargers, Atlanta Falcons and most recently was the tight ends coach of the Chicago Bears.

Eric Studesville is an American football coach who is the associate head coach and running backs coach for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League (NFL). Studesville is known as the former run game coordinator for the Buffalo Bills and interim head coach of the Denver Broncos, a position he held for four weeks in December 2010. He replaced Josh McDaniels after 12 games in the 2010 NFL season, after which he resumed his primary role as running backs coach under head coaches John Fox, Gary Kubiak, and Vance Joseph from 2011–2017. He was the first African American head coach in Broncos history, albeit on an interim basis. Studesville has been to the Super Bowl twice, both as a member of the Broncos personnel, losing in 2014 and winning in 2016.

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

Frank Bush is a former American football linebacker and coach who is the linebackers coach for the Tennessee Titans of the National Football League (NFL). He was drafted by the Houston Oilers in the fifth round of the 1985 NFL draft. He played college football at North Carolina State.

Michael Lee McDaniel is an American professional football coach who is the head coach of the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League (NFL). A former long-time assistant and descendant of the Shanahan coaching tree, McDaniel began his NFL coaching career as an intern for the Denver Broncos in 2005. McDaniel served as an assistant coach for the Houston Texans, Washington Redskins, Cleveland Browns, Atlanta Falcons, and San Francisco 49ers from 2017 to 2021, holding his first offensive coordinator position in 2021. McDaniel has appeared in Super Bowl LI with the Falcons in 2017, and Super Bowl LIV with the 49ers in 2020 as an assistant coach alongside Kyle Shanahan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vic Fangio</span> American football coach

Victor Mick Fangio is an American football coach who serves as the defensive coordinator for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League (NFL). Fangio also recently served as the head coach of the Denver Broncos. A 41-year coaching veteran with 33 seasons of NFL experience, Fangio was a defensive coordinator for 20 of the last 24 seasons at the NFL or college level before becoming the Broncos' head coach. He served as the Chicago Bears' defensive coordinator after leading the defenses for the San Francisco 49ers, Stanford University, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts and Carolina Panthers.

Mike Sullivan is an American football coach who is currently the senior offensive assistant for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League (NFL). He was the wide receivers coach for the New York Giants from 2004 to 2009 and the quarterbacks coach from 2010 to 2011, and the offensive coordinator for the NFL's Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 2012 to 2013.

Nathaniel Hackett is an American football coach who is the offensive coordinator for the New York Jets of the National Football League (NFL). A former long-time assistant to Doug Marrone, Hackett previously served as the offensive coordinator for the NFL's Green Bay Packers, Jacksonville Jaguars, and Buffalo Bills. He held several positions for the Syracuse Orange in college football from 2010 to 2012. He served as the head coach of the Denver Broncos in 2022, but was fired during the season after a 4–11 record.

Klint Alexander Kubiak is an American football coach who is the offensive coordinator for the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League (NFL). He has coached in the NFL and college following his playing career at Colorado State University. Kubiak served as Minnesota Vikings offensive coordinator in 2021. He is the son of Gary Kubiak, former head coach of the Houston Texans and Denver Broncos.

Wesley Wade Phillips is an American football coach and former player who is the offensive coordinator for the Minnesota Vikings of the National Football League (NFL). He is the son of former Denver Broncos, Buffalo Bills, and Dallas Cowboys head coach Wade Phillips and the grandson of former Houston Oilers and New Orleans Saints head coach Bum Phillips.

Philip Rauscher is an American football coach who is currently the offensive line coach and run game coordinator for the Jacksonville Jaguars of the National Football League (NFL). He previously served as an assistant coach for the Minnesota Vikings, Washington Redskins and Denver Broncos.

Justin Outten is an American football coach who is the tight ends coach for the Tennessee Titans of the National Football League (NFL). He previously served an assistant coach for the Atlanta Falcons and Green Bay Packers and was the offensive coordinator for the Denver Broncos in 2022. Outten played college football as a center at Syracuse University.

References

  1. ↑ Denver Broncos, 1990 Media Guide (PDF). p. 44.
  2. ↑ Denver Broncos 1981 Media Guide (profile on page 75). Retrieved January 23, 2021
  3. ↑ "Rick Dennison (biography) – Baltimore Ravens". Archived from the original on March 23, 2018. Retrieved January 29, 2014.
  4. ↑ George M. Dennison (biography) – The International Heart Institute of Montana Foundation. Archived February 1, 2014, at the Wayback Machine
  5. 1 2 "Rick Dennison (biography) – Houston Texans". Archived from the original on May 10, 2018. Retrieved January 29, 2014.
  6. ↑ "Colorado State Football 2013 Media Guide" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on February 2, 2014. Retrieved January 29, 2014.
  7. ↑ Merrill-Gheen Trophy Award Winners – Colorado State University Athletics. Archived March 7, 2014, at the Wayback Machine
  8. ↑ Sessler, Marc (January 6, 2013). "Chicago Bears to interview Texans OC Rick Dennison". National Football League . Retrieved January 6, 2013.
  9. ↑ "Gary Kubiak adds Rick Dennison, Brian Pariani to Broncos' coaching staff". January 19, 2015.
  10. ↑ "Super Bowl 50 - Denver Broncos vs. Carolina Panthers - February 7th, 2016". Pro-Football-Reference.com . Retrieved August 31, 2017.
  11. ↑ John Middlekauff [@JohnMiddlekauff] (January 11, 2017). "Vance Joseph wanted to hire Todd Downing as OC, that changed yesterday. Now Mike McCoy will be his OC in Denver per multiple sources" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  12. ↑ Carucci, Vic (January 20, 2017). "Bills hire Dennison as offensive coordinator". The Buffalo News .
  13. ↑ Patra, Kevin (January 12, 2018). "Buffalo Bills fire OC Rick Dennison after one season". NFL.com.
  14. ↑ Young, Lindsey (February 8, 2019). "5 Things to Know About New Vikings OL Coach Rick Dennison". www.vikings.com. Retrieved February 9, 2021.
  15. ↑ Cronin, Courtney (July 23, 2021). "Sources: Vikings asst. out after refusing vaccine". ESPN.com. Retrieved October 19, 2021.
  16. ↑ "Saints announce six offensive coaching hires". www.neworleanssaints.com. Retrieved March 6, 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.