A Bengals assistant from 1997-2010, Sigismondo "Louie" Cioffi returned to Cincinnati in 2021 after more than a decade away, and serves as defensive quality control coach. The 2023 season marks his 17th Bengals season, and 25th as an NFL coach.
In 2022, Cioffi helped the Cincinnati defense rank sixth in the NFL in points allowed per game (20.1) and seventh in rushing yards allowed per game (106.6). The Bengals also held opposing passers to a league-low 58.9 completion percentage and recorded 13 INTs, while giving up 300 net passing yards just once during the regular season. Cioffi also helped the defense overcome several notable injuries, as CB Chidobe Awuzie, CB Mike Hilton and DT DJ Reader each missed at least two games.
In 2021, Cioffi helped the Cincinnati defense allow the fifth-fewest rushing yards per game in the NFL (102.5). The Bengals also recorded the 11th-most sacks in the league (41), led by free agent acquisition DE Trey Hendrickson, who logged 14 — a career high, the fifth-most in the NFL and the second-most in a single season in team history. Cincinnati made numerous game-changing plays defensively during its postseason run to Super Bowl LVI, as its eight INTs were the most by a team in a single postseason since Green Bay in 2010.
In 2020, Cioffi served as defensive coordinator of the XFL's D.C. Defenders. He helped the team to a first-place finish in the XFL East, as the defense ranked second in the league in both third-down and red-zone percentage. In 2019, he was defensive coordinator/ linebackers coach of the AAF's Atlanta Legends, and helped the team lead the league in both total defense and passing defense. Prior to his time with the Defenders and Legends, he spent the 2018 season as defensive coordinator at Southeastern Louisiana University.
Cioffi served as defensive backs coach for the Cleveland Browns in 2016, helping CB Briean Boddy-Calhoun tie for the NFL rookie lead in INTs (three). From 2014-15, Cioffi was CBs coach for the Tennessee Titans, and helped the '15 team rank seventh in the NFL in passing yards allowed per game (229.9).
Cioffi also spent the 2013 season with the Browns, serving as defensive backs coach as Cleveland ranked eighth in the NFL in passing yards allowed per game (221.1). That year, he helped guide CB Joe Haden and S T.J. Ward to their first career Pro Bowl selections.
From 2011-12, Cioffi was defensive backs coach with the Arizona Cardinals. Under his guidance, the 2012 Cardinals allowed the lowest passer rating (71.2) in the NFL, while ranking second in INTs (22), and fifth in passing yards allowed per game (200.8). Working with Cioffi, CB Patrick Peterson earned his first two Pro Bowl nods.
Cioffi's first stint with the Bengals came from 1997-2010, and he began his role on staff at age 23 as the youngest full-time assistant coach in the NFL. He started as defensive staff assistant (1997-2000) and defensive assistant ('01-02), before moving to assistant defensive backs coach (2003-10). In his seven years as DBs coach, Cioffi helped the Bengals rank fifth in the NFL in INTs (150), and he oversaw the development of CBs Deltha O'Neal, Tory James, Leon Hall and Johnathan Joseph, along with safeties Madieu Williams, Chinedum Ndukwe, Chris Crocker and Roy Williams. In 2009, the Bengals ranked fourth in the NFL in yards allowed (301.4 per game), sixth in passing yards allowed (203.1), and sixth in points allowed (18.2). The 2009 pass defense ranking was Cincinnati's highest since 1993.
Cioffi spent the 1995-96 seasons as wide receivers coach at C.W. Post University in Brookville, N.Y., helping the '96 team win the ECAC Division II title.
Prior to his time at C.W. Post, Cioffi served in 1993-94 as a 20 and 21-year-old assistant to Bruce Coslet's coaching staff on the N.Y. Jets. Then, in 1997 when he took over full-time as Bengals head coach, Coslet brought Cioffi on board as part of a reorganization of the coaching staff.
Cioffi was born Sept. 21, 1973, in Queens, N.Y. and attended college at SUNY-Stony Brook. His wife's name is Cindy. They have two daughters, Cecilia Elle and Corrine, and a son, Sigismondo Connor.
Coaching history: 1993-94—Coaching assistant, N.Y. Jets. 1995-96—Assistant coach (AC), C.W. Post. 1997-2010—AC, Cincinnati Bengals. 2011-12—AC, Arizona Cardinals. 2013—AC, Cleveland Browns. 2014-15—AC, Tennessee Titans. 2016—AC, Cleveland Browns. 2018—Defensive coordinator, Southeastern Louisiana University. 2019—Defensive coordinator, Atlanta Legends (AAF). 2020—Defensive coordinator, D.C. Defenders (XFL). 2021-present—AC, Bengals.
