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Sports Arena by William Larsha Jr, |
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Profile: Jerry Gray, Tennessee Titans Defensive Coordinator
Jerry Gray rejoined the Titans organization in 2011. Prior to his return to Tennessee, he spent one season as the secondary coach with the Seattle Seahawks. He has been a player and assistant coach for the Titans/Oilers organization and enters his first season as the team’s defensive coordinator. A 14-year veteran of NFL coaching, Gray started his NFL coaching career in 1997 as a defensive quality control coach for the Tennessee Oilers. He held that position for two seasons, before being promoted to secondary coach for the 1999 and 2000 seasons. Under his direction, Samari Rolle and Blaine Bishop earned All Pro and Pro Bowl honors in 2000; and as a group, the Titans ranked first in the NFL in fewest passing and total yards allowed. In 2001, Titans defensive coordinator Gregg Williams was named head coach for the Buffalo Bills and Gray went with Williams to become the Bills defensive coordinator. He spent five years as defensive coordinator with the Buffalo from 2001-05. His defenses in 2003 and 2004 each ranked second in the NFL for yards allowed, and both were rated in the top 10 in points allowed. His 2004 defense led the NFL in takeaways with 39, ranked third in sacks with 45 and fifth in red zone defense. The 2004 unit saw Sam Adams and Takeo Spikes earn Pro Bowl selections. He rejoined Williams’ defensive staff at the Washington Redskins in 2006 as secondary coach and would stay for four years (2006-09). In 2008, the Redskins ranked fourth in defense and sixth in points allowed. Under his coaching, Sean Taylor blossomed into one of the NFL’s best young safeties and earned Pro Bowl selections in both 2006 and 2007 before his tragic death. In his one season at Seattle last year, Earl Thomas registered a fantastic rookie campaign as he totaled five interceptions and started all 16 games. As a player, Gray was a four-time Pro Bowler during a nine-year NFL career with the Los Angeles Rams (1985-91), Houston Oilers (1992) and Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1993). He finished his career with 28 interceptions, was named the NFL’s Defensive Back of the Year in 1989 and was a four-time Pro Bowler who earned MVP honors at the Pro Bowl in 1990. A graduate of the University of Texas, Gray was a first round pick (21st overall) by the Rams in the 1985 NFL Draft. While playing at Texas, he was a two-time consensus All-American and two-time Southwest Conference Defensive Player of the Year. For his career at Texas, he was honored with inclusion on the Texas All-Time Team and All-Decade Team for the 1980’s. A native of Lubbock, Texas, Gray broke into the coaching ranks with a two-year stay at Southern Methodist University as the secondary coach. He and his wife Sherry have two sons, Jeremy and Jayden.
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