Darren Rizzi (born July 21, 1970) is an American football coach who is the assistant head coach and special teams coordinator for the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League (NFL). Prior to this, he was the Miami Dolphins special teams coordinator. He was one of few Miami coaches to see multiple regimes. He even interviewed for the head coach position for the Dolphins after the 2018 season. After Miami hired head coach Brian Flores, they decided to move on from Rizzi. Before the NFL, he was the head coach of the University of New Haven Chargers football team from 1999 to 2001[1][2] and the Rhode Island Rams football team in 2008.[3] He compiled an overall record of 18–23.[citation needed]
| New Orleans Saints | |
|---|---|
| Position: | Assistant head coach/special teams coordinator |
| Personal information | |
| Born: | July 21, 1970 Hillsdale, New Jersey, U.S. |
| Career information | |
| High school: | Bergen Catholic (Oradell, New Jersey) |
| College: | Rhode Island (1989–1992) |
| Career history | |
| As a coach: | |
| |
| Head coaching record | |
| Career: | 18–23 (college) |
Early life edit
Rizzi grew up in Hillsdale, New Jersey, and graduated from Bergen Catholic High School in nearby Oradell.[4] He was later a resident of Oradell.[1] Family life CAMERON RIZZI
Coaching career edit
Miami Dolphins edit
Rizzi coordinated the Miami Dolphins special teams efforts from 2011 to 2018, additionally serving as assistant head coach/special teams coordinator from 2015 to 2016 and associate head coach/special teams coordinator from 2017 to 2018. Rizzi was not retained under incoming head coach Brian Flores.
New Orleans Saints edit
On February 1, 2019, the New Orleans Saints hired Rizzi as the special teams coordinator. Rizzi would be reunited with Saints assistant head coach and tight ends coach Dan Campbell, whom coached alongside Rizzi with the Miami Dolphins from 2010 to 2015, under head coaches Tony Sparano and Joe Philbin.[5] On February 23, 2022, it was announced that Rizzi would be assuming the title of assistant head coach alongside his special teams responsibilities.[6]
Head coaching record edit
| Year | Team | Overall | Conference | Standing | Bowl/playoffs | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Haven Chargers (NCAA Division II independent) (1999–2001) | |||||||||
| 1999 | New Haven | 5–5 | |||||||
| 2000 | New Haven | 5–5 | |||||||
| 2001 | New Haven | 5–4 | |||||||
| New Haven: | 15–14 | ||||||||
| Rhode Island Rams (Colonial Athletic Association) (2008) | |||||||||
| 2008 | Rhode Island | 3–9 | 1–7 | T–5th (North) | |||||
| Rhode Island: | 3–9 | 1–7 | |||||||
| Total: | 18–23 | ||||||||
References edit
- ^ a b Schutta, Gregory. "ORADELL'S RIZZI NAMED NEW HAVEN HEAD COACH", The Record (Bergen County), February 25, 1999. Accessed May 25, 2016. "Former Bergen Catholic standout and NFL player Darren Rizzi broke into the head coaching ranks Wednesday when he was named the head football coach at the University of New Haven. The Oradell native returns to New Haven, where he spent four seasons as an assistant under former head coach Tony Sparano."
- ^ ADITI KINKHABWALA (August 14, 2002). "Bringing his lifelong passion home; Rizzi enjoying duties as Rutgers assistant". The Record.
- ^ MIKE SZOSTAK (August 3, 2008). "New-look Rams aim to be winners as camp kicks off". Providence Journal-Bulletin.
- ^ Biggane, Brian. "Darren Rizzi, Dolphins' new special teams coach, teamed with Tony Sparano in New Haven", The Palm Beach Post, October 5, 2010. Accessed February 17, 2011. "A native of Hillsdale, N.J., and a graduate of prep power Bergen Catholic, Rizzi starred as a tight end at Rhode Island after arriving as a walk-on in 1988."
- ^ "Former Miami Dolphins Darren Rizzi lands with the Saints". February 2019.
- ^ "Ronald Curry Promoted to New Orleans Saints Passing Game Coordinator".
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