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Todd Bowles hires defensive and special teams coordinators
By Mark Cannizzaro
January 23, 2015 | 5:10pm
Just two days after being formally introduced as the Jets newest head coach, Todd Bowles on Friday came close to filling out his coaching staff, hiring 10 assistants.
The headliners are Kacy Rodgers as Bowles’ defensive coordinator and Bobby April Jr. as the special teams coordinator. They join Chan Gailey, named earlier this week as the offensive coordinator.
Rodgers comes to the Jets after having coached the Dolphins defensive line. He and Bowles have worked together for seven NFL seasons, including three with the Cowboys and four with the Dolphins.
From 2008-14, Rodgers’ Dolphins defense produced 287 sacks, third-most in the NFL in that span behind only Minnesota and Philadelphia.
Rodgers has been credited with the development of Dolphins defensive lineman Randy Starks, Paul Soliai and Cameron Wake, who have all been selected to multiple Pro Bowls. He takes over a Jets defense whose strength is on the defensive line led by Mo Wilkerson and Sheldon Richardson.
Considering Rodgers has coached in a 3-4 defensive base in Miami it seems likely that’ll be the defense Bowles employs with the Jets.
April, a longtime NFL special teams guru, is the father of Bobby April III, the Jets linebackers coach last season.
The Jets will be April’s eighth NFL team. He was with the Raiders the last two seasons. Before that he coached with the Eagles (2010-12, with Bowles on the ’12 staff), Bills (’04-09), Rams (’01-03), Saints (1996-99), Steelers (’94-95) and Falcons (’91-93). He’s won two Special Teams Coach of the Year awards, in 2004 and ’08 with the Bills.
The other hires included, Mike Caldwell as assistant head coach/inside linebackers, Mark Collins (outside linebackers), Joe Danna (defensive backs–safeties), Karl Dorrell (receivers), Robby Brown (quality control–offense), Justus Galac (strength and conditioning), Kavan Latham (assistant strength and conditioning) and Aaron McLaurin (assistant strength and conditioning).
Caldwell coached on the same NFL staffs with Bowles at Philadelphia in 2012 and the last two seasons at Arizona, where they worked together to help build the league’s No. 1 run defense in 2013 and were part of the defensive unit that was one of just five in the NFL to hold opponents under 20 points per game the past two seasons combined.
By Mark Cannizzaro
January 23, 2015 | 5:10pm
Just two days after being formally introduced as the Jets newest head coach, Todd Bowles on Friday came close to filling out his coaching staff, hiring 10 assistants.
The headliners are Kacy Rodgers as Bowles’ defensive coordinator and Bobby April Jr. as the special teams coordinator. They join Chan Gailey, named earlier this week as the offensive coordinator.
Rodgers comes to the Jets after having coached the Dolphins defensive line. He and Bowles have worked together for seven NFL seasons, including three with the Cowboys and four with the Dolphins.
From 2008-14, Rodgers’ Dolphins defense produced 287 sacks, third-most in the NFL in that span behind only Minnesota and Philadelphia.
Rodgers has been credited with the development of Dolphins defensive lineman Randy Starks, Paul Soliai and Cameron Wake, who have all been selected to multiple Pro Bowls. He takes over a Jets defense whose strength is on the defensive line led by Mo Wilkerson and Sheldon Richardson.
Considering Rodgers has coached in a 3-4 defensive base in Miami it seems likely that’ll be the defense Bowles employs with the Jets.
April, a longtime NFL special teams guru, is the father of Bobby April III, the Jets linebackers coach last season.
The Jets will be April’s eighth NFL team. He was with the Raiders the last two seasons. Before that he coached with the Eagles (2010-12, with Bowles on the ’12 staff), Bills (’04-09), Rams (’01-03), Saints (1996-99), Steelers (’94-95) and Falcons (’91-93). He’s won two Special Teams Coach of the Year awards, in 2004 and ’08 with the Bills.
The other hires included, Mike Caldwell as assistant head coach/inside linebackers, Mark Collins (outside linebackers), Joe Danna (defensive backs–safeties), Karl Dorrell (receivers), Robby Brown (quality control–offense), Justus Galac (strength and conditioning), Kavan Latham (assistant strength and conditioning) and Aaron McLaurin (assistant strength and conditioning).
Caldwell coached on the same NFL staffs with Bowles at Philadelphia in 2012 and the last two seasons at Arizona, where they worked together to help build the league’s No. 1 run defense in 2013 and were part of the defensive unit that was one of just five in the NFL to hold opponents under 20 points per game the past two seasons combined.
