Kacy Rodgers (born June 24, 1969) is an
American football
American football (referred to simply as football in the United States and Canada), also known as gridiron, is a team sport played by two teams of eleven players on a rectangular field with goalposts at each end. The offense, the team with ...
coach for the
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football team based in Tampa, Florida. The Buccaneers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) NFC South, South divisio ...
of the
National Football League
The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league that consists of 32 teams, divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The NFL is one of the ...
(NFL). He played
college football
College football (french: Football universitaire) refers to gridiron football played by teams of student athletes. It was through college football play that American football rules first gained popularity in the United States.
Unlike most ...
for the
University of Tennessee
The University of Tennessee (officially The University of Tennessee, Knoxville; or UT Knoxville; UTK; or UT) is a public land-grant research university in Knoxville, Tennessee. Founded in 1794, two years before Tennessee became the 16th state, ...
and was a part of the
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional American football team based in Pittsburgh. The Steelers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) North division. Founded in , the Steel ...
practice squad in the NFL in 1992. Since then, Rodgers has served as an assistant coach at the college and professional levels.
Early years
Rodgers played
high school football
High school football (french: football au lycée) is gridiron football played by high school teams in the United States and Canada. It ranks among the most popular interscholastic sports in both countries, but its popularity is declining, part ...
for and graduated from
Humboldt High School in
Humboldt, Tennessee
Humboldt is a city in Gibson and Madison counties, Tennessee. The population was 8,452 at the 2010 census, a decline of 1,015 from 2000. It is the principal city of and is included in the Humboldt, Tennessee Micropolitan Statistical Area, which i ...
. He and wife, Marcella Cruze, have one son,
Kacy II, a former professional football player for the
New York Jets
The New York Jets are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Jets compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) East division. The J ...
and current Real Estate mogul.
College career
Rodgers then attended the
University of Tennessee
The University of Tennessee (officially The University of Tennessee, Knoxville; or UT Knoxville; UTK; or UT) is a public land-grant research university in Knoxville, Tennessee. Founded in 1794, two years before Tennessee became the 16th state, ...
, where he was a four-year
letterman
Letterman may refer to:
* Letterman (sports), a classification of high school or college athlete in the United States
People
* David Letterman (born 1947), American television talk show host
** ''Late Night with David Letterman'', talk show that ...
for the
Tennessee Volunteers football
The Tennessee Volunteers football program (variously called "Tennessee", "Vols", "UT", or "Big Orange") represents the University of Tennessee (UT).
The Vols have played football for 130 seasons, starting in 1891; their combined record of 862â ...
team from 1988 to 1991. He was an honorable mention All-
SEC selection. During his time as a
linebacker
Linebacker (LB) is a playing position in gridiron football. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage and the defensive linemen. They are the "middle ground" of defenders, p ...
and
defensive end
Defensive end (DE) is a defensive position in the sport of gridiron football.
This position has designated the players at each end of the defensive line, but changes in formation (American football), formations over the years have substantially ...
, he won two SEC championships and played in the
1990 Cotton Bowl Classic,
1991 Sugar Bowl and the
1992 Fiesta Bowl
The 1991 IBM OS/2 Fiesta Bowl, was a post-season college football bowl game between the Penn State Nittany Lions and the Tennessee Volunteers, played January 1, 1992, at Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe, Arizona.
This game marked the end of Sunkist s ...
.
Professional playing career
Rodgers signed with the
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional American football team based in Pittsburgh. The Steelers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) North division. Founded in , the Steel ...
as an
undrafted free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player who is eligible to sign with other clubs or franchises; i.e., not under contract to any specific team. The term is also used in reference to a player who is under contract at present but who is a ...
in 1992. He played for the
Shreveport Pirates
The Shreveport Pirates were a Canadian Football League team, playing at Independence Stadium in Shreveport, Louisiana, United States, in 1994 and 1995. Despite a relatively strong fan base, they were one of the least successful of the CFL's A ...
of the
Canadian Football League
The Canadian Football League (CFL; french: Ligue canadienne de football—LCF) is a professional sports league in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football. The league consists of nine teams, each located in a ci ...
in 1994.
Coaching career
University of Tennessee at Martin
Rodgers began his coaching career in 1994 as defensive line coach for the
University of Tennessee at Martin
The University of Tennessee at Martin (UT Martin or UTM) is a public university in Martin, Tennessee. It is one of the five campuses of the University of Tennessee system. UTM is the only public university in West Tennessee outside of Memphis ...
. He held the title for three seasons before adding the title of assistant
head coach
A head coach, senior coach or manager is a professional at training and developing athletes. They typically hold a more public profile and are paid more than other coaches. In some sports, the head coach is instead called the "manager", as in assoc ...
in 1997.
Northeast Louisiana
After his time at Tennessee-Martin, Rodgers served one season as defensive line coach for the
Northeast Louisiana University
The University of Louisiana Monroe (ULM) is a public university in Monroe, Louisiana. It is part of the University of Louisiana System.
History
ULM opened in 1931 as Ouachita Parish Junior College. Three years later it became the Northeast Cen ...
in 1998.
Middle Tennessee State
In 1999, Rodgers became defensive line coach at
Middle Tennessee State University
Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU or MT) is a public university in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. Founded in 1911 as a normal school, the university consists of eight undergraduate colleges as well as a college of graduate studies, together off ...
. He held the title for three seasons and was also the assistant head coach for the final two. In 2001, the Blue Raiders posted an 8-3 record and were co-champions of the
Sun Belt Conference
The Sun Belt Conference (SBC) is a collegiate athletic conference that has been affiliated with the NCAA's Division I since 1976. Originally a non-football conference, the Sun Belt began sponsoring football in 2001. Its football teams participa ...
. Also that season, the team tied for first in the conference with 27
sacks.
Arkansas
Rodgers then served one season as defensive line coach for the
University of Arkansas
The University of Arkansas (U of A, UArk, or UA) is a public land-grant research university in Fayetteville, Arkansas. It is the flagship campus of the University of Arkansas System and the largest university in the state. Founded as Arkansas ...
in 2002. The Razorbacks defense ranked second in the SEC and 18th in the nation, going 9-5 and earning an
SEC Championship
The SEC Championship Game is an annual American football game that has determined the Southeastern Conference's season champion since 1992. The championship game pits the SEC East Division regular season champion against the West Division regula ...
berth.
Dallas Cowboys
In 2003, Arkansas alum and
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football team based in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. The Cowboys compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East divisi ...
owner
Jerry Jones
Jerral Wayne Jones (born October 13, 1942) is an American businessman who has been the owner, president, and general manager of the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League (NFL) since February 1989.
Early life
Jones was born in Los Ange ...
hired Rodgers as the team's
defensive tackle
A defensive tackle (DT) is a position in American football that will typically line up on the line of scrimmage, opposite one of the offensive guards, however he may also line up opposite one of the tackles. Defensive tackles are typically the la ...
s coach. He held the title for two seasons before serving the next three as defensive line coach. Defensive tackle
La'Roi Glover
La'Roi Damon Glover (; born July 4, 1974) is an American former football defensive tackle who is the defensive line coach for the St. Louis BattleHawks of the XFL. He played college football at San Diego State University. Glover enjoyed a 13-yea ...
earned three
Pro Bowl
The National Football League All-Star Game (1939–1942), Pro Bowl (1951–2022), or Pro Bowl Games (starting in 2023) is an annual event held by the National Football League (NFL) featuring the league's star players.
The format has changed thro ...
selections under Rodgers' tutelage from 2003 to 2005. The Cowboys' defense also ranked in the top 10 in the NFL during four of Rodgers' five seasons with the team. During his final season in 2007, they ranked No. 6 in the NFL and allowed just 94.6 rushing yards per game.
Miami Dolphins
In 2008, Rodgers joined the
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a professional American football team based in the Miami metropolitan area. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member team of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) East division. The team pla ...
as defensive line coach under first-year head coach
Tony Sparano
Anthony Joseph Sparano III (October 7, 1961 – July 22, 2018) was an American football coach. He served as the head coach of the Miami Dolphins and Oakland Raiders of the National Football League (NFL) and is the only NFL head coach to have l ...
, replacing
Travis Jones and
Diron Reynolds from 2007. He would churn out three pro bowlers in
Randy Starks
Randolph Starks, Jr. (born December 14, 1983) is a former American football defensive end who played twelve seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He was drafted by the Tennessee Titans in the third round of the 2004 NFL Draft. He played ...
DT,
Paul Soliai
Paul Fuapapa Soliai (born December 30, 1983) is a former American football defensive tackle. He played college football at University of Utah. He was drafted by the Miami Dolphins in the fourth round of the 2007 NFL Draft. He has also played ...
DT and
Cameron Wake
Derek Cameron Wake (born January 30, 1982) is a former American football defensive end and outside linebacker. He played college football for Penn State University, and was signed by the New York Giants as an undrafted free agent in 2005.
Wake ...
DE while with the Dolphins. Rodgers had previously worked with Sparano in Dallas the previous five seasons while also serving under former Dolphins Vice President
Bill Parcells
Duane Charles "Bill" Parcells (born August 22, 1941) is an American former football coach who served as a head coach in the National Football League (NFL) for 19 seasons. He rose to prominence as the head coach of the New York Giants from 1983 ...
during his tenure as Cowboys head coach from 2003 to 2006.
New York Jets
Rodgers was named the
New York Jets
The New York Jets are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Jets compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) East division. The J ...
' defensive coordinator on January 23, 2015.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
In 2019, Rodgers was named defensive line coach of the
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football team based in Tampa, Florida. The Buccaneers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) NFC South, South divisio ...
, a position he held for three seasons. He was part of the coaching staff when the Buccaneers won
Super Bowl LV
Super Bowl LV was an American football game played to determine the champion of the National Football League (NFL) for the 2020 season. The National Football Conference (NFC) champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers defeated the American Football Conferen ...
.
Following the 2021 season, Rodgers was promoted to co-defensive coordinator (with
Larry Foote
Lawrence Edward Foote, Jr. (born June 12, 1980) is an American football coach
and former linebacker who is the co-defensive coordinator for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League (NFL). Foote previously served as the lineback ...
) due to existing defensive coordinator
Todd Bowles
Todd Robert Bowles (born November 18, 1963) is an American football coach and former player who is the head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League (NFL). He previously served as the head coach of the New York Jets. He ...
being named new Buccaneers head coach, replacing the retiring
Bruce Arians
Bruce Charles Arians (born October 3, 1952) is an American football executive and former coach in the National Football League (NFL). Since 2022, he has been a senior football consultant for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Arians was previously the he ...
who moved into a front office position with the team.
References
External links
Tampa Bay Buccaneers bio
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rodgers, Kacy
1969 births
Living people
American football defensive ends
American football linebackers
American players of Canadian football
Arkansas Razorbacks football coaches
Canadian football linebackers
Dallas Cowboys coaches
Louisiana–Monroe Warhawks football coaches
Miami Dolphins coaches
Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders football coaches
New York Jets coaches
People from Humboldt, Tennessee
Pittsburgh Steelers players
Shreveport Pirates players
UT Martin Skyhawks football coaches
Tennessee Volunteers football players
National Football League defensive coordinators
Tampa Bay Buccaneers coaches