Tony Sparano Jr.

Last updated

Tony Sparano Jr.
Indianapolis Colts
Position:Offensive line coach
Personal information
Born: (1986-10-22) October 22, 1986 (age 37)
Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.
Career information
College: Albany
Career history
As a coach:

Anthony Michael Sparano Jr. [1] (born October 22, 1986) is an American football coach who is the offensive line coach for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League (NFL). He has previously served as the assistant DL coach of the Hartford Colonials, the quality control and offense coach for the Miami Dolphins, an offensive assistant for the New York Jets, and an assistant offensive line coach for the Carolina Panthers. He most recently had been the assistant offensive line coach of the New York Giants.

Contents

College

Sparano attended the University of Albany, playing defensive end, and made 24 career appearances; he earned three varsity letters and "2008 ESPN The Magazine All-District 1 Academic Team". [2]

Coaching career

Hartford Colonials

Sparano started out his coaching career with the Hartford Colonials. They hired him as a defensive line assistant based on his experience as a defensive player for the University of Albany for three years and his background with his father Tony Sparano being the assistant coach for the Browns. [3]

Miami Dolphins

After coaching a year there Sparano then moved to coach the Miami Dolphins as a quality control coach, where he was working under his father Tony Sparano. [4]

New York Jets

After his father was fired from the Dolphins both Sparano men started coaching with the New York Jets in 2012. Tony started out coaching with the Jets as a seasonal intern and then an offensive intern. After his father was fired from the Jets as the assistant head coach, head coach Rex Ryan decided that he wanted to keep Tony and give him a promotion. Sparano accepted the promotion to offensive assistant and was said to be an asset to the team by doing "the job of a ton of guys" (Ryan).

Buffalo Bills

Sparano was with the Jets for three years and after Ryan was fired, he followed him when he became the new head coach for the Buffalo Bills. [5]

On January 17, 2017, Sparano was replaced by Rob Boras as the Buffalo Bills tight ends' coach under Sean McDermott's new coaching staff.

Jacksonville Jaguars

On January 19, 2017, it was announced that Sparano would be joining the Jacksonville Jaguars as an assistant tight ends coach.

Carolina Panthers

On January 19, 2021, it was announced that Sparano would be joining the Carolina Panthers as an assistant offensive line coach.

New York Giants

On February 10, 2022, the New York Giants hired Sparano as an assistant offensive line coach. [6]

Indianapolis Colts

On February 27, 2023, the Indianapolis Colts hired Sparano as the offensive line coach. [7]

Personal life

Sparano was born in Boston, Massachusetts, the son of former NFL head coach Tony Sparano.

Sparano is married and has four children: Anthony Jr., Gabriella, Mia and Gianna. [1]

Related Research Articles

The American Football Conference – Eastern Division or AFC East is one of the four divisions of the American Football Conference (AFC) in the National Football League (NFL). There are currently four teams that reside in the division: the Buffalo Bills, the Miami Dolphins, the New England Patriots, and the New York Jets. All four members of the AFC East were previously members of the Eastern Division of the American Football League (AFL).

Brian Cornelius Schottenheimer is an American football coach who is the offensive coordinator for the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League (NFL). He previously served as the offensive coordinator for the Seattle Seahawks, New York Jets, St. Louis Rams and the University of Georgia and also served as an assistant coach for the Washington Redskins, San Diego Chargers, Indianapolis Colts, and Jacksonville Jaguars.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bryan Cox</span> American football player and coach (born 1968)

Bryan Keith Cox Sr. is an American football coach and former player who is the assistant defensive line coach for the New York Giants of the National Football League (NFL). He played professionally as a linebacker in the National Football League (NFL). He was a three-time Pro Bowl selection with the Miami Dolphins, and was a member of the New England Patriots club that won Super Bowl XXXVI.

The Miami Dolphins are a professional American football franchise which competes in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) East division. The team's headquarters, stadium and training facilities are all co-located in Miami Gardens, Florida. The Dolphins' team was founded by attorney-politician Joe Robbie and actor-comedian Danny Thomas. The Dolphins began play in the American Football League (AFL) in 1966. South Florida had not had a professional football team since the days of the Miami Seahawks, who played in the All-America Football Conference (AAFC) East Division in 1946 before becoming the first incarnation of the Baltimore Colts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Sandusky</span> American football player and coach (1925–2006)

John Thomas "Sandy" Sandusky, Jr. was an American football player and coach. He played seven seasons as an offensive and defensive tackle in the National Football League (NFL) during the 1950s for the Cleveland Browns and the Green Bay Packers before starting a 36-year career as an assistant coach. He was head coach of the Baltimore Colts for part of the 1972 season.

The NFL Alumni Association is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that is composed of former National Football League (NFL) players, coaches, team staff members and associate members who work voluntarily to raise funds for youth-oriented causes and engage in hands-on service to foster the development of "youth through sports and sports through youth". It was founded in 1967.

Brant Boyer is a former American football linebacker and coach who is the special teams coordinator for the New York Jets of the National Football League (NFL).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brian Daboll</span> Canadian-born American football coach (born 1975)

Brian Michael Daboll is a Canadian-born American football coach who is the head coach for the New York Giants of the National Football League (NFL). He previously served as the offensive coordinator for the Cleveland Browns, Miami Dolphins, Kansas City Chiefs, Alabama Crimson Tide, and Buffalo Bills. Daboll has also served in various capacities as an assistant coach for the New England Patriots from 2000 to 2006 and again from 2013 to 2016.

Albert Michael Groh III is an American football coach and former quarterback who is the wide receivers coach for the New York Giants of the National Football League (NFL). He previously served as the wide receivers coach of the Indianapolis Colts and as an assistant coach for the Los Angeles Rams, Chicago Bears and New York Jets. He is a former starting quarterback at the University of Virginia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tony Sparano</span> American football coach (1961–2018)

Anthony Joseph Sparano III was an American football coach. He served as the head coach of the Miami Dolphins and Oakland Raiders of the National Football League (NFL) and is the only NFL head coach to have led a team to the playoffs the year following a one-win season, and only the second to conduct a ten-game turnaround, both of which he accomplished in his first season with the Dolphins. He was fired by the Dolphins in December 2011 after a 4-9 start to the season, Sparano's worst start in his four-year tenure with the Dolphins.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2008 Miami Dolphins season</span> 43rd season in franchise history; greatest single-season turnaround in NFL history

The 2008 Miami Dolphins season was the franchise's 39th season in the National Football League (NFL), the 43rd overall and the first under new head coach Tony Sparano. During the regular season the Dolphins completed the greatest single-season turnaround in NFL history, going from a 1–15 regular season record in 2007 to an 11–5 record in 2008. The previous record for most improved team one year after a 1–15 season belonged to the 1997 New York Jets, who went 9–7. The 1999 Indianapolis Colts were the only other team to accomplish a 10-game turnaround, winning 13 games after winning 3 in 1998, which was also the first year of the Peyton Manning era. Additionally, Miami won the AFC East, becoming the first team in NFL history to win their division after only having one win the previous season. The division title also snapped the Patriots' 5-year streak of winning the AFC East. Their season would come to an end in the Wild Card round when they were defeated by the Baltimore Ravens, which coincidentally, was also the only team they beat last season in overtime to save the Dolphins from suffering a winless season. With their 11–5 record and division title, the Dolphins had hopes of achieving their first playoff victory since 2000, or to possibly become the first team ever to make the Super Bowl after winning only one game the previous season, similar to how the Carolina Panthers went 1–15 in 2001 and made Super Bowl XXXVIII just two seasons later.

Brian Francisco Flores is an American football coach who is the defensive coordinator for the Minnesota Vikings of the National Football League (NFL). He began his NFL career with the New England Patriots, where he served as an assistant coach from 2008 to 2018. Flores was New England's defensive playcaller during his final season coaching for the team, which concluded with a victory in Super Bowl LIII. Following the victory, he served as the head coach of the Miami Dolphins from 2019 to 2021.

The 2009 Miami Dolphins season was the franchise's 40th season in the National Football League (NFL), the 44th overall and the second under head coach Tony Sparano. The Dolphins entered the 2009 season as the reigning AFC East champions after posting an 11–5 record in 2008. Dropping by four more games, the Dolphins failed to make the playoffs for the first time since 2007, marking the 25th consecutive year that the region hosting the Super Bowl did not see its host team play in, thus it set off a playoff drought that lasted until 2016.

Dave DeGuglielmo is an American football coach for the Birmingham Stallions of the United Football League (UFL). He was most recently the offensive line coach for the Boston College Eagles. He has previously been offensive line coach for the NFL's New York Jets, Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots, Indianapolis Colts, and New York Giants. DeGuglielmo was part of two Super Bowl-winning teams in his coaching career; the 2007 New York Giants and 2014 New England Patriots.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Idzik</span> American football player and coach (1928–2013)

John Joseph Idzik Sr. was an American football player and coach. He was the head coach of the University of Detroit football team until the school discontinued its program in 1964. He held assistant coaching positions at the University of Tennessee, University of Maryland, Tulane University, in the National Football League (NFL) with the Miami Dolphins, Baltimore Colts, Philadelphia Eagles, New York Jets, and in the Canadian Football League (CFL) with the Ottawa Rough Riders. Idzik played college football at the University of Maryland.

The 2011 Miami Dolphins season was the franchise's 42nd season in the National Football League (NFL), the 46th overall and the fourth and final under head coach Tony Sparano. The Dolphins made their first round selection with the 15th pick of the 2011 NFL Draft on Florida offensive lineman Mike Pouncey. The team got off to an 0–7 start but won six of their final nine games, however, this result failed to improve on their record from 2010 and Sparano was fired on December 12.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2012 Miami Dolphins season</span> 47th season in franchise history

The 2012 Miami Dolphins season was the franchise's 43rd season in the National Football League (NFL), and the 47th overall in the American Football Conference Eastern Division. The season concluded with the Dolphins finishing second in the AFC Eastern Division with a 7–9 record, and no postseason play for the fourth consecutive season.

Peter Rossomando is an American football coach and former player. He is currently the eleventh head coach at NCAA Division I FCS member Lamar University, named on December 10, 2022. He served as the interim head coach at University of North Carolina at Charlotte for the final four games of the 2022 football season. He had been the 49ers' offensive line coach for the 2021 and 2022 seasons. He was previously the offensive line coach for Vanderbilt University during the 2020 football season. Rossomando served as the head football coach at the University of New Haven from 2008 to 2013 and Central Connecticut State University from 2014 to 2018. In 2012, he was awarded the Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year Award for NCAA Division II as head coach of the New Haven Chargers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2019 Miami Dolphins season</span> 54th season in franchise history

The 2019 season was the Miami Dolphins' 50th in the National Football League (NFL), their 54th overall and their first under new head coach Brian Flores.

Diron Reynolds is an American football coach who is currently the defensive line coach at Arizona State. He has also coached at Michigan State, Stanford, Oklahoma, Wake Forest, and Indiana as well as the professional level with the Indianapolis Colts, Miami Dolphins, and Minnesota Vikings of the National Football League (NFL).

References

  1. 1 2 Mehta, Manish (May 26, 2012). "Tony Sparano's loyalty, character make NY Jets players feel like loved ones". New York Daily News. Archived from the original on June 7, 2013.
  2. ↑ "Tony Sparano". UALBANY. Retrieved December 14, 2014.
  3. ↑ Doyle, Paul. "UFL'S Hartford Colonials Announce Assistant Coaches". Hartford Courant. Hartford Courant. Retrieved December 14, 2014.
  4. ↑ "Staff". Miami Dolphins. Miami Dolphins. Retrieved December 14, 2014.
  5. ↑ Costello, Brian. "Sparano Jr. maintains role with Jets after dad's ouster". New York Post. NYP holdings. Retrieved December 15, 2014.
  6. ↑ Benton, Dan (February 10, 2022). "Report: Giants to hire Tony Sparano Jr. as assistant O-Line coach". Giantswire.com.
  7. ↑ "Assistant offensive line coach Tony Sparano, Jr. on the move to Indianapolis Colts". www.bigblueview.com. Retrieved March 1, 2023.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.