Coaches

Paul Alexander is in his 18th season on the Bengals coaching staff, fourth-most in Bengals history. The only Bengals coaches with more seasons are current RBs coach Jim Anderson (28), former strength and conditioning coach Kim Wood (28) and former head coach and assistant Dick LeBeau (19).

Alexander is in his 17th straight season as offensive line coach, and he is also the team’s assistant head coach, promoted to that position in 2003 when Marvin Lewis took over as head coach.

Alexander’s line led a pass protection effort in 2010 that saw the Bengals finish second in the AFC and sixth in the NFL in fewest sacks allowed per passing play. Opponents totaled only 28 sacks in 618 passing plays, an average of one every 22.07 plays.
 
The Bengals did not allow a sack for 100 consecutive passing plays to close the season. The streak of 100 began in the fourth quarter of Game 13 and continued through the final three games. Also in the last three games of the season, the line helped the offense average 34:18 in possession time while posting a 47.8 conversion rate on third downs.

In 2009, the line strongly supported a 10-6 Bengals run to the AFC North Division title. Cincinnati’s run blocking helped spring eight rushing games of 100 or more yards by individual backs, breaking the franchise record of six. Three different rushers combined for those eight 100-yarders, only the second time in club history that three rushers had a 100-yard game in a season.

Twice with Alexander’s lines, the Bengals have set new franchise records for fewest sacks allowed, led by a record 17 in 2007. In 2005, the total was only 21 sacks allowed. In 2007, as was the case in 2010, the offense allowed no sacks over the final three games. The 2007 total for consecutive passing plays without a sack allowed to close the season was 89.

On Oct. 22, 2000, Alexander’s line shared the glory of a 278-yard rushing game by running back Corey Dillon vs. Denver. It was an NFL record at the time, and it still stands fourth in league annals entering the 2011 season. The Bengals' 407 total rushing yards in that game rank as the fifth-highest single-game total in NFL history, and as the most rushing yards in 60 years. The last team to top it was the New York Giants, who gained 423 against Baltimore in 1950.

Alexander began his NFL coaching career in 1992 as tight ends coach of the N.Y. Jets, under head coach Bruce Coslet. When Coslet moved to Cincinnati as offensive coordinator in 1994, Alexander joined him, in the role of Bengals tight ends coach.

But Alexander’s first love in football was always the offensive line. He was afforded the chance to take over that job for the Bengals in 1995, and has held it ever since.

Alexander is a product of distinguished teachers. He coached under Joe Paterno at Penn State and Bo Schembechler at Michigan. He also was offensive line coach at Central Michigan, a school whose coach, Herb Deromedi, ranks with Paterno and Schembechler among the winningest coaches in NCAA Division I history.

Alexander’s birthdate is Feb. 12, 1960. He’s a native of Rochester, N.Y., where he attended Cardinal Mooney High School. He was an Academic All-American at Cortland State (N.Y.) and holds a master’s degree in exercise physiology from Penn State. Off the field, he is actively involved with the Boy Scouts, the D.A.R.E. program and high school linemen camps.

He and his wife, Kathy, have three daughters — Mary Beth, Carolyn and Emily.

PLAYING AND COACHING HISTORY - 1979-81: Played offensive tackle at Cortland State. 1982-84: Graduate assistant, Penn State. 1985-86: Graduate assistant, Michigan. 1987-91: Assistant coach (AC), Central Michigan. 1992-93: AC, New York Jets. 1994-2002: AC, Bengals. 2003-present: Assistant head coach/offensive line coach, Bengals.