Charles Burks is in his fifth NFL season and his second in Cincinnati in 2023. He again serves as the Bengals' secondary/cornerbacks coach.
In 2022, Burks led a cornerbacks group that played a key role in the team holding opposing passers to a league-low 58.9 completion percentage. He worked with rookie Cam Taylor-Britt, Cincinnati's second-round draft pick who after missing the first six games of the season due to injury, went on to start the most games (nine) by a Bengals rookie corner since Leon Hall in 2007 (10). Despite CB Chidobe Awuzie suffering a season-ending knee injury in Week 8, Burks' unit helped the Bengals allow just 17 passing TDs (tied for third-fewest in NFL), while yielding 300 net passing yards just once during the regular season.
Burks began his NFL coaching career in Miami in 2019, spending two seasons as a coaching assistant with a focus on the team's cornerbacks before being promoted to cornerbacks coach in 2021. In 2021, he helped CB Xavien Howard further establish himself as one of the game's top corners, as the sixth-year veteran tied for fourth in the NFL in INTs (five), while tying for sixth in PDs (16). Howard earned his third career Pro Bowl nod and second during Burks' Miami tenure.
In 2020, Howard had a Dolphins single-season record 10 INTs, which were also the most by an NFL player since 2007, to earn first-team All-Pro honors. With Burks on staff, Miami's defense led the NFL in takeaways (29) and third-down defense (31.2 percent), while ranking sixth in scoring (21.1 points allowed per game).
Prior to his time with the Dolphins, Burks spent eight seasons in the collegiate ranks. He served as defensive coordinator at Southeastern Oklahoma State from 2014-18, overseeing a unit in '18 that led all of NCAA Division II in pass defense (118.7 yards allowed per game). That season, the Savage Storm also ranked in the top 10 nationally in both total defense (sixth; 251.2 total yards allowed per game) and scoring defense (seventh; 15.4 points allowed per game).
In 2016, Burks tutored CB Raheem Wilson, who led Division II with 24 PDs while recording five INTs to garner Division II All-America honors.
Burks coached at three schools in three seasons before Southeastern Oklahoma State, serving as secondary coach at Texas A&M-Commerce (2013), assistant secondary/cornerbacks coach at West Texas A&M (2012) and secondary coach at his alma mater, East Central University (2011).
A three-year letterman (2008-10) at East Central, located in Ada, Okla., Burks played cornerback for a Tigers team that won a Lone Star Conference North Division championship.
Burks was born in Grand Prairie, Texas. He earned his bachelor's degree in kinesiology with a minor in sociology from East Central, where he also received a master's degree in sports administration.
Playing and coaching history: 2008-10—Played CB at East Central University (Okla.). 2011—Assistant coach (AC), East Central. 2012—AC, West Texas A&M. 2013—AC, Texas A&M-Commerce. 2014-18—Defensive coordinator, Southeastern Oklahoma State. 2019-21—AC, Miami Dolphins. 2022-present—AC, Cincinnati Bengals.
