GREEN BAY – Head Coach Matt LaFleur announced another addition to his coaching staff Friday.
Here are five things to know about new Packers outside linebackers coach Jason Rebrovich who is replacing Mike Smith:
1. The Packers will be his third NFL team.
Rebrovich previously worked for both the Buffalo Bills (2013-16) and Jacksonville Jaguars (2017-20) in a variety of defensive coaching roles – quality control, assistant defensive line, defensive line and outside linebackers.
Most of his experience is as a defensive line coach. He did coach outside linebackers with Buffalo in 2015.
2. He's worked with his share of standout players.
Jacksonville's defensive line in 2017 produced three Pro Bowlers in Calais Campbell, Yannick Ngakoue and Malik Jackson. That season, the Jaguars ranked second in the league with 55 sacks.
Two years later, Rebrovich had rookie DE Josh Allen under his command as Allen was named to the PFWA's All-Rookie Team and set the Jaguars' franchise record for sacks by a rookie with 10½.
3. He began his coaching career two decades ago at his alma mater.
As a player, Rebrovich transferred to SUNY Cortland to finish his college career and then began coaching there in 2001 as a defensive line and strength coach.
After short stints coaching at Concord and Ferris State, he returned to his alma mater as defensive coordinator for three seasons (2008-10) before moving up to the Division I ranks as a defensive assistant with Syracuse (2011-12).
That was his last college job, and he's been in the NFL ever since.
4. He knew how to make an impact as a defensive lineman.
In his final year as a collegiate player at Cortland State, in 1999, Rebrovich led his team in both tackles for loss, with 14, and QB hurries, with 28 – in just eight games.
5. He and LaFleur coached for competing schools in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference for two years.
During Rebrovich's time at Ferris State (2005-07) as the defensive line and head strength and conditioning coach, LaFleur was coaching quarterbacks and wide receivers at Northern Michigan (2006) and serving as offensive coordinator at Ashland University (2007), which recently left the GLIAC.
Also, the location of Ferris State (Big Rapids, Mich.) is the farthest west Rebrovich, a New York native, has ever lived until coming to Green Bay.
