Coaches

Kevin Coyle returns for his 10th season on the Bengals coaching staff in 2010. He is in his eighth year as defensive backs coach, directing a unit that has emerged as one of the most promising on the team.

Under Coyle’s direction last year, third-year CB Leon Hall and fourth-year CB Johnathan Joseph continued to develop on schedule after being acquired as first-round draft choices. They each had six interceptions — the first time ever for the Bengals to have two CBs with six or more — and they were widely considered the foundation of a defense that fueled the team’s capture of the AFC North Division title.

At safety last season, starters Roy Williams and Chris Crocker both missed significant time due to injuries, but Coyle directed strong replacement play by third-year pro Chinedum Ndukwe and rookie Tom Nelson. During the tenure of head coach Marvin Lewis (2003-09) — coinciding with Coyle’s 2003 promotion from cornerbacks coach to secondary coach — the Bengals have snagged 134 interceptions, second-most in the NFL over that span and trailing only Baltimore (149). Of those 134 picks, 112 have been collected by defensive backs.

Last season, the Bengals ranked fourth in the NFL in fewest yards allowed (301.4 per game), sixth in fewest passing yards allowed (203.1) and sixth in fewest points allowed (18.2). The pass defense ranking was Cincinnati’s highest since 1993.

In 2005, Coyle oversaw a 10-INT season by CB Deltha O’Neal, the highest individual total in Bengals history. O’Neal was voted to the Pro Bowl, and Bengals DBs had 23 of Cincinnati’s NFL-leading 31 INTs on the year. O’Neal was the second DB under Coyle to make the Pro Bowl, as CB Tory James earned the honor in 2004, when he had eight INTs.  

This is Coyle’s 33rd year in coaching. He spent his first two years with the Bengals (2001-02) as cornerbacks coach. He began coaching in 1978 as a graduate assistant at the University of Cincinnati. In his last 10 seasons before joining the Bengals, he was defensive coordinator and secondary coach at three Division I college programs — Syracuse, Maryland and Fresno State.

At Fresno State (1997-2000), Coyle’s defenses produced three first-team All-Western Athletic Conference players in both ’99 and ’00, best in the league both years. In 1998, the FSU defense set a school-record low with only 23 touchdowns allowed. At Maryland (1994-96), Coyle oversaw a dramatic improvement in the Terrapins defense, steadily guiding a program that had struggled prior to his arrival to a final total defense ranking of No. 29 nationally in ’96.

At Syracuse (1991-93), Coyle’s ’92 defense led the nation in interceptions (24) and set a school record for fewest rushing yards allowed (1007) in an 11-game season.

Coyle was at Holy Cross from 1982-90, first serving as outside linebackers coach before being promoted to defensive coordinator in ’86. During his five years as coordinator, Holy Cross was the winningest Division I-AA team in the nation (49-5-1), with the Crusader defense ranked in the top 10 nationally in scoring defense four times. Coyle coached five All-Americans at Holy Cross.

Six players from Coyle’s Fresno State defenses went on to play in the NFL, including three defensive backs. At Maryland, Coyle coached future NFL cornerbacks Chad Scott and Lewis Sanders. At Syracuse, he coached future NFL standout safety Donovin Darius.

Coyle has been active in the community, speaking to emotionally troubled patients at Cincinnati’s Children’s Hospital, as well as speaking at schools on behalf of the D.A.R.E. program. He also coordinates the annual Youth Coaches Clinic sponsored by the Marvin Lewis Community Fund.

Coyle was born Jan. 14, 1956, in Staten Island, N.Y. He and his wife, Louise, have a daughter, Jenlain, age 17.

PLAYING AND COACHING HISTORY - 1974-75: Played DB at Massachusetts. 1978-79: Graduate assistant, Univ. of Cincinnati. 1980: Coaching assistant, Arkansas. 1981: Defensive coordinator, U.S. Merchant Marine Academy. 1982-85: Assistant coach (AC), Holy Cross. 1986-90: Defensive coordinator, Holy Cross. 1991-93: Defensive coordinator, Syracuse. 1994-96: Defensive coordinator, Maryland. 1997-2000: Defensive coordinator, Fresno State. 2001-present: AC, Bengals.