Bears Offensive Coordinator Getsy, Raiders Defensive Coordinator Graham named Senior Bowl coaches

Coaches from teams selecting Nos. 1 and 7 in 2023 NFL Draft to lead teams for top pre-draft event

Staff Report
Posted 1/18/23

MOBILE — The Reese’s Senior Bowl announced Wednesday that Chicago Bears Offensive Coordinator Luke Getsy (American team) and Las Vegas Raiders Defensive Coordinator Patrick Graham …

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Bears Offensive Coordinator Getsy, Raiders Defensive Coordinator Graham named Senior Bowl coaches

Coaches from teams selecting Nos. 1 and 7 in 2023 NFL Draft to lead teams for top pre-draft event

Posted

MOBILE — The Reese’s Senior Bowl announced Wednesday that Chicago Bears Offensive Coordinator Luke Getsy (American team) and Las Vegas Raiders Defensive Coordinator Patrick Graham (National team) will serve as head coaches for the 74th annual Reese’s Senior Bowl to be played on Saturday, Feb. 4, at Hancock Whitney Stadium on the campus of the University of South Alabama. 

All three days of practice will be televised on both NFL Network and ESPN and the game itself will be aired live on the NFL Network at 1:30 p.m. The Bears have the top overall pick, and the Raiders own the No. 7 selection in the 2023 NFL draft.

This year marks the first time in the Senior Bowl’s rich history that two full staffs from NFL clubs will not be coaching the game.

Under a new arrangement to promote professional development, NFL Football Operations has implemented a “coach up” format where coordinators and assistant coaches are placed into elevated or different roles from the ones they currently hold with their respective clubs. Head coaches and general managers from all non-playoff teams had the opportunity to nominate assistant coaches and those candidates were then selected by a group comprised of league office executives, representatives from the General Managers Advisory Committee, and Senior Bowl leadership.

“Everyone at the Senior Bowl is excited about this new coaching format since it connects our players to half the league’s teams behind the scenes during the week,” Senior Bowl Executive Director Jim Nagy said. “Both Luke Getsy and Patrick Graham have tremendous reputations around the league and the young men in our game will undoubtedly leave Mobile as better football players after spending the week with these excellent staffs.”

In total, at least one coach from all 16 teams that submitted nominations were chosen and six clubs had multiple coaches appointed to this year’s American and National rosters (New Orleans Saints 4, Washington Commanders 4, Chicago Bears 4, Las Vegas Raiders 3, Cleveland Browns 2, and Pittsburgh Steelers 2).

In addition to the head coach appointees, the following individuals were selected as coordinators for the American and National squads:

American

Offensive Coordinator: Atlanta Falcons Quarterbacks Coach Charles London

Defensive Coordinator: New England Patriots Defensive Line Coach DeMarcus Covington

National

Offensive Coordinator: New Orleans Saints QB Coach/Pass Game Coordinator Ronald Curry

Defensive Coordinator: Pittsburgh Steelers Defensive Backs Coach Grady Brown

The Reese’s Senior Bowl is coming off consecutive record-breaking drafts with 106 players selected each of the past two years, which has represented over 40 percent of the entire past two draft classes. Over the past four drafts (2019-2022), 87.2% of the players wound up making an active 53-man NFL roster at some point during their rookie season.

Those four rosters have included many of the NFL’s brightest young stars, such as QB Justin Herbert (Chargers), QB Daniel Jones (Giants), QB Mac Jones (Patriots), DS Jeremy Chinn (Panthers), WR Brandon Aiyuk (49ers), QB Jalen Hurts (Eagles), DB Kyle Dugger (Patriots), WR Terry McLaurin (Commanders), OL Chris Lindstrom (Falcons), WR Deebo Samuel (49ers), OL Elgton Jenkins (Packers), RB Tony Pollard (Cowboys), DL Montez Sweat (Commanders), LB Logan Wilson (Bengals), RB Najee Harris (Steelers), RB Rhamondre Stevenson (Patriots), WR Devonta Smith (Eagles), OL Creed Humphrey (Chiefs), RB Dameon Pierce (Texans), WR Christian Watson, OL Zion Johnson (Chargers), QB Kenny Pickett (Steelers), DS Jalen Pitre (Texans), and CB Tariq Woolen (Seahawks).

“I am extremely honored to be selected as the head coach for the American Team in the 74th Senior Bowl,” Chicago Bears Offensive Coordinator Luke Getsy said. “It is a privilege to be able to work alongside my peers from around the league and to be able to lead this special group of men that are the future of the NFL. Thank you to everyone at the Senior Bowl for this awesome opportunity and I look forward to a great week in Mobile.”

“It is a true honor to be selected as head coach of the National Team for the Senior Bowl,” Las Vegas Raiders Defensive Coordinator Patrick Graham said. “I look forward to meeting and working with these talented young players and getting to know them on an individual and collective basis during Senior Bowl festivities. To be able to evaluate and cultivate relationships with these young men as they begin their professional journeys is an invaluable experience and I sincerely thank Jim Nagy and the Senior Bowl for this tremendous opportunity.”