The Green Bay Packers have named Jerry Gray defensive backs coach. Head Coach Matt LaFleur made the announcement Wednesday.
Gray is entering his 33rd season in the National Football League, having played for nine seasons and coached for the past 23. He joins the Packers after spending the previous six years coaching defensive backs for the Minnesota Vikings, where he tutored All-Pro CB Xavier Rhodes and S Harrison Smith. From 2014-19, Gray's defensive backfield was part of a unit that ranked in the top-10 in the NFL in opponent passer rating (84.7, No. 7 in the NFL) and points per game allowed (19.3, No. 2 in the league). They also allowed only 123 passing touchdowns, the third fewest in the NFL since 2014. Gray has contributed to a top-10 scoring defense seven times during his coaching career, including this past season when Minnesota ranked No. 6 in the NFL in points per game allowed (18.9). He was a defensive coordinator twice in the NFL, first with the Buffalo Bills (2001-05) and then the Tennessee Titans (2011-13). Gray also coached defensive backs for the Seattle Seahawks (2010), Washington Redskins (2006-09) and Titans (1999-2000). After his playing career as a cornerback, in which he made four Pro Bowls (1986-89) and earned second-team All-Pro honors from The Associated Press two times (1986 and 1989), he began coaching defensive backs at Southern Methodist University in 1995. After two seasons, he returned to the NFL as a defensive quality control coach for the Tennessee Oilers (1997-98).
