coaches

5^th year in NFL/1^st year with the Bills

COACHING EXPERIENCE

Jim O’Neil will enter his first year with the Buffalo Bills as a linebackers coach in 2013 – his fifth season in the NFL. He comes to Buffalo after spending the previous four years with the New York Jets under defensive coordinator Mike Pettine. He joined the Jets’ coaching staff in 2009 as a defensive quality control coach before being elevated to assistant defensive backs coach for three seasons from 2010-12.

• The Jets’ passing defense finished second in the NFL in 2012 (189.8), fifth in 2011 (201.0), sixth in 2010 (200.6) and first in 2009 (153.7)
• While with the Jets from 2009-12, New York’s defense held opposing passers to an NFL-low 71.0 quarterback rating, completion percentage (52.6%), passing yards (186.3 per game) and forced the highest percentage of three-and-out drives (29.4%)
• The Jets’ defense yielded the second-fewest yards per game (294.8) and posted a 34.6 third-down efficiency mark while holding their opponents to an average of 20.0 points per game (seventh-fewest in the league) from 2009-12
• New York recorded 115 takeaways in O’Neil’s four-year tenure – the second-most in the AFC (seventh in the NFL) and allowed nine 100-yard receiving games against from 2009-2012, the fewest in the league
• In 2012, O’Neil helped tutor a defensive backfield that allowed one individual 300-yard passing game and one 100-yard receiver
• S LaRon Landry and CB Antonio Cromartie were selected to the Pro Bowl following the 2012 season… Cromartie led the Jets with 13 passes defensed and three interceptions… in his first year with the Jets, Landry finished sixth among NFL safeties with 99 tackles (74 solo)
• CB Darrelle Revis was a Pro Bowl selection following the 2011 season when O’Neil worked with the defensive backs… Revis led the AFC with 21 passes defensed in 2011 (third in the NFL)
• The Jets’ 2010 secondary featured two new starters – CB Antonio Cromartie and S Brodney Pool… Cromartie tied for the team-lead with three interceptions and matched a career-best with 18 pass break-ups while racking up a personal-best 42 tackles… Pool ranked fourth on the defense with 63 tackles along with an interception, 10 passes defensed and a forced fumble and fumble recovery
• In 2010, CB Drew Coleman posted career-highs in tackles (34), sacks (4.0) and forced fumbles (4)

Prior to entering the NFL coaching ranks with the Jets in 2009, O’Neil spent eight years with college programs. From 2006-08, he served as the recruiting coordinator and safeties coach at Eastern Michigan.

His previous college stints include Towson in 2005 (defensive coordinator), Northwestern from 2003-04 (graduate assistant/defensive backs), Pennsylvania in 2002 (assistant offensive line) and SUNY Albany in 2001 (assistant offensive line/tight ends).

PERSONAL

O’Neil was a three-year starter as a defensive lineman at Towson and served as a team captain in 2000… a two-way lineman and senior captain at Central Bucks West (PA) High School, O’Neil helped the school to a 31-4 record and win three straight Suburban One League National Conference championships from 1994-96… earned a bachelor’s degree in Sports Management from Towson and a Master of Art’s degree in Liberal Studies from Northwestern University and his Master of Science degree in Education from SUNY Albany…. a native of Philadelphia, PA, O’Neil and his wife, Stacy, have a son, Danny, and a daughter, Riley.