The Bills hired Jeff Rodgers as Buffalo's next special teams coordinator, the team announced Saturday.
Rodgers comes most recently from the Arizona Cardinals where he was their assistant head coach and special teams coordinator. He started with the Cardinals in 2018 as their special teams coordinator and added his additional title in 2019. Before Arizona, Rodgers was the Chicago Bears' special teams coordinator for three seasons, 2015-17.
This is just a snippet of Rodgers' coaching history. He comes to the Bills with 25 years of coaching experience and 22 years specifically in special teams in the NFL. Rodgers enters his 23rd season coaching in the league as he joins head coach Joe Brady's new staff.
"Jeff is one of the most respected and successful special teams coaches in our league. He is wired the right way and his special teams units over the years have matched the detail and personality I was looking for," Brady said. "They are always well-prepared and tough to play against. He is known for his high energy and excellent communication skills."
Before the Cardinals and Bears, he also had stops at Denver, Carolina and San Francisco.
Prior to the NFL, he spent two seasons as a graduate assistant at the University of Arizona, working with the secondary and linebackers. From there, he joined the 49ers staff as their special teams quality control coach in 2003 and was promoted to assistant special teams coach from 2005-07.
Rodgers jumped back to the collegiate level as Kansas State's special teams coordinator in 2008 and went back to the NFL. He was the Panthers' special teams assistant in 2009 and elevated to special teams coordinator in 2010. Rodgers was with the Broncos from 2011-14 in the same role he held previously before going to Chicago.
Rodgers has experience working with kicker Matt Prater as well. He coached Prater when he was with the Cardinals and Broncos. Prater set a franchise single-season record with nine field goals of 50-plus yards in 2023 and an NFL single-season record of six, 55-plus yard field goals as well. He remains the leader in Arizona history for number of field goals of 50 yards or longer (22) and ranks first in franchise history for longest field goal (62 yards).
Rodgers is an Austin, Tex. Native and attended North Texas where he played linebacker from 1996-2000.
On Thursday, the Bills held an introductory press conference for all three incoming coordinators.
As Rodgers settles down in Western New York and continues building his relationship with Brady, he gave insight into the core values he plans on implementing into Buffalo's special teams.
"Ball security number one, that's always what we talked about in the return game. We try to play penalty free as much as we can," Rodgers said. "… I haven't watched any tapes since I've been here. So it's hard for me to evaluate on some of the things that happened a year ago, but those two things are primary things for us. We try to be a good tackling team and really emphasize fundamentals."
Like offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael and defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard, prioritizing players' strengths is what Rodgers plans to do as well. He doesn't want to be the reason that his players slow down.
"If a guy ran 4.5 at the combine, I want him to play like that. I think at times, we are all guilty of as coaches, we try to overload players with information and it slows you down," Rodgers said. "And if you can play fast, you're usually doing the right things – avoiding negative plays, whether it's penalties or ball security … If you're playing fast, you're playing with energy, you're not hurting yourself, usually, that's going to get good results."
Just like how he values players being themselves and being put in the best position to have success, Rodgers wants the same for Brady. Heading into his 23rd year in the NFL, Rodgers was around first-time head coaches and different organizations.
"Be yourself," Rodgers said simply as for what advice he gives young coaches.
Brady said he is already learning from his special teams coordinator. The experience he brings to the table is valuable, not just in his role but also in terms of experiencing transition periods.
"I know the knowledge he has from a football standpoint, but now just seeing the organizational skills, the game management, thoughts he has as he goes through things and his ideas of … successful off-seasons and different ways that he's done it through the years," Brady said. "That's all helpful for me."
