Notable Former NFL Players Coaching In The NFL This Season
From Super Bowl champions to Pro Bowlers to reliable role players, these former pros are proving that their football IQ didn't stop when their playing careers ended.
Teams value recent playing experience in their coaching pipelines.
Coaches leverage their NFL careers to mentor young players in their positions.
Diverse backgrounds, from Super Bowl champions to reliable role players, enrich coaching ranks.
Source: Icon Sportswire / Getty
Notable Former NFL Players Coaching In The NFL This Season
The coaching ranks across the NFL are increasingly filled with familiar former players who once made their names on the field are now shaping the next generation of talent from the sideline. This season, a wide range of ex-NFL standouts have transitioned into coaching roles across the league, bringing firsthand playing experience to position rooms in cities from Los Angeles to Chicago.
From Super Bowl champions to Pro Bowlers to reliable role players, these former pros are proving that their football IQ didn’t stop when their playing careers ended.
Whether it’s a former 1,000-yard receiver now mentoring young wideouts or a Super Bowl-winning running back teaching backfield technique, these hires reflect a growing trend of teams valuing recent playing experience in their coaching pipelines.
Take a look below at some Notable Former NFL Players Coaching In The NFL This Season.
Robert Woods — Assistant Wide Receivers Coach, Los Angeles Rams
Woods spent 10 NFL seasons as a reliable, versatile wideout for the Bills, Rams, Titans, Texans, and Ravens, highlighted by a Super Bowl LVI championship with the Rams in 2021. He topped 1,000 receiving yards twice in his career and was known for his physicality as a run-blocker, a trait he now brings into coaching the position that made him a two-time Super Bowl participant.
Reggie Wayne — Wide Receivers Coach, Indianapolis Colts
A franchise icon, Wayne spent all 14 of his NFL seasons with the Colts, retiring as one of the most productive receivers in league history with over 14,000 receiving yards, 82 touchdowns, and six Pro Bowl selections. He was a key piece of the Colts’ Super Bowl XLI championship team and Peyton Manning’s top target for over a decade.
McSorley, a sixth-round pick by the Ravens in 2019, spent six NFL seasons as a backup quarterback across Baltimore, Arizona, New England, Chicago, Pittsburgh, and Washington. After two years coaching quarterbacks at his alma mater Penn State, he was hired by Bills head coach Joe Brady, his former college teammate connection, to work alongside Josh Allen and the Buffalo offense.
Matt Schaub — Quarterbacks Coach, Arizona Cardinals
Schaub played 16 NFL seasons, most notably as the Houston Texans’ starting quarterback for seven years, where he led the league in passing yards twice and made two Pro Bowls. He also had stints with the Falcons, Ravens, and Raiders before retiring, giving him a deep well of experience running different offensive systems.
Dan Skipper — Offensive Assistant, Detroit Lions
The towering 6-foot-10 offensive tackle spent eight NFL seasons with the Lions, Texans, and several other franchises as a practice squad piece before becoming a fan-favorite depth lineman in Detroit. Skipper retired after the 2025 season for medical reasons and immediately rejoined the Lions’ staff, working under head coach Dan Campbell and the offensive line room.
Wes Welker — Offensive Assistant, Washington Commanders
One of the most productive slot receivers in NFL history, Welker caught over 900 passes across his career with the Dolphins, Patriots, Broncos, and Rams, making five Pro Bowls and playing in three Super Bowls. His route-running precision and toughness over the middle made him one of Tom Brady’s most trusted targets in New England.
DeMarco Murray — Running Backs Coach, Kansas City Chiefs
Murray had one of the most dominant single seasons by a running back in modern NFL history, leading the league in rushing in 2014 with over 1,800 yards and 13 touchdowns for the Cowboys en route to a Pro Bowl and first-team All-Pro nod. He also played for the Eagles and Titans across an eight-year career.
Willie Snead IV — Offensive Quality Control, Denver Broncos
Snead played nine NFL seasons after going undrafted out of Ball State, with his best stretch coming under Sean Payton in New Orleans from 2015-2016, when he caught 141 passes for 1,879 yards and seven touchdowns. He also had stints with the Ravens, Panthers, Raiders, and 49ers before retiring.
K.J. Wright — Linebackers Coach, San Francisco 49ers
A Legion of Boom staple, Wright spent 10 seasons with the Seahawks, racking up over 900 tackles and a Pro Bowl selection in 2016 while helping Seattle win Super Bowl XLVIII. After beginning his coaching career as a 49ers defensive quality control coach, he was promoted to linebackers coach this season.
Antwaan Randle El — Wide Receivers/Assistant Head Coach, Chicago Bears
Randle El is best remembered for throwing a trick-play touchdown pass to Hines Ward in Super Bowl XL as a member of the Pittsburgh Steelers, part of an eight-year career that also included a stint with Washington. His dual-threat background as a college quarterback turned NFL receiver gives him a unique perspective on offensive schemes.
