Al Holcomb
{{Short description|American football coach (born 1970)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2024}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name = Al Holcomb
| image = Al Holcomb with the Panthers in 2015 (cropped).jpg
| image_size =
| alt =
| caption = Holcomb with the Carolina Panthers in 2015
| current_team = Buffalo Bills
| position = Linebackers coach
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1970|10|22|mf=y}}
| birth_place = New York, New York, U.S.
| death_date =
| death_place =
| high_school =
| college = West Virginia
| pastcoaching =
- Temple (1995–1996)
Graduate assistant - Colby (1997)
Linebackers coach - Bloomsburg (1998–2003)
Linebackers coach & special teams coordinator - Kutztown (2004–2005)
Defensive coordinator & defensive backs coach - Lafayette (2006–2008)
Defensive line coach - New York Giants ({{nfly|2009}}–{{nfly|2010}})
Defensive quality control coach - New York Giants ({{nfly|2011}}–{{nfly|2012}})
Defensive assistant - Carolina Panthers ({{nfly|2013}}–{{nfly|2017}})
Linebackers coach - Arizona Cardinals ({{nfly|2018}})
Defensive coordinator & assistant head coach - Cleveland Browns ({{nfly|2019}})
Linebackers coach & run game coordinator - Carolina Panthers ({{nfly|2020}}–{{nfly|2022}})
Interim defensive coordinator/Assistant head coach, Defense - Buffalo Bills ({{nfly|2023}})
Senior defensive assistant - Buffalo Bills ({{nfly|2024}}–present)
Linebackers coach
|highlights=
|pfrcoach=HolcAl0
}}
Al Holcomb (born October 22, 1970) is an American football coach who is the linebackers coach for the Buffalo Bills of the National Football League (NFL). He previously served as the interim defensive coordinator for the Carolina Panthers and as an assistant coach for the Cleveland Browns, Arizona Cardinals and New York Giants.
Early career
Holcomb started his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Temple from 1995–96, helping with linebackers.{{Cite web |last=Somers |first=Kent |date=July 31, 2018 |title=Cardinals defensive coordinator Al Holcomb is anonymous, for now |url=https://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/nfl/cardinals/2018/07/31/arizona-cardinals-defensive-coordinator-al-holcomb-finally-has-shot/868268002/ |access-date=September 16, 2024 |website=The Arizona Republic}} He worked as linebackers coach, assistant track coach and physical education instructor at Colby College in 1997.
He spent six years from 1998–2003 at Bloomsburg University as linebackers coach and special teams coordinator. From 2004–05, Holcomb coached at Kutztown University, where he was the defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach in addition to being the interim head coach in the winter of 2005.{{Cite web |date=August 21, 2007 |title=An even higher education ** Lafayette assistant football coach Al Holcomb spends four days in NY Jets camp. |url=https://www.mcall.com/2007/08/21/an-even-higher-education-lafayette-assistant-football-coach-al-holcomb-spends-four-days-in-ny-jets-camp/ |access-date=September 16, 2024 |website=The Morning Call}}
He oversaw the defensive line at Lafayette from 2006–08.{{cite web| title=Heffner Moves On to Big Ten at Northwestern University; Holcomb Accepts Job With N.Y. Giants | website=Lafayette College Athletics | date=February 9, 2009 | url=https://goleopards.com/news/2009/2/9/Heffner_Moves_On_to_Big_Ten_at_Northwestern_University_Holcomb_Accepts_Job_With_N_Y_Giants | access-date=September 16, 2024}} Under Holcomb's tutelage, five different defensive linemen claimed All-Patriot League honors. During his final season in 2008, the Leopards led the conference in several defensive categories, including total defense and scoring defense. In his first season in 2006, Holcomb contributed to a unit that finished first in the Football Championship Subdivision in total defense, fourth in rushing defense and eighth in scoring defense.
{{Cite web |title=Al Holcomb |url=http://www.panthers.com/team/coaches/al-holcomb/f0d07e0d-de7e-441c-b6d6-fddab2a6784f |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130602190958/http://www.panthers.com/team/coaches/al-holcomb/f0d07e0d-de7e-441c-b6d6-fddab2a6784f |archive-date=June 2, 2013 |access-date=August 23, 2013 |website=Panthers.com}}
Professional coaching career
=New York Giants=
In 2009, Holcomb joined the New York Giants as the defensive quality control coach.{{Cite web |last=Garafolo |first=Mike |date=February 9, 2009 |title=New York Giants fill out coaching staff with new defensive assistant |url=https://www.nj.com/giants/2009/02/new_york_giants_fill_out_coach.html |access-date=September 16, 2024 |website=NJ.com |language=en}} In 2011, he was promoted to defensive assistant to Perry Fewell. He won a Super Bowl ring with the Giants in Super Bowl XLVI.{{Cite web |last=Garafolo |first=Mike |date=February 4, 2012 |title=Super Bowl: Giants assistant Al Holcomb and his family have sacrificed to chase a dream |url=https://www.nj.com/giants/2012/02/super_bowl_giants_asssistant_a.html |access-date=September 16, 2024 |website=NJ.com}}
=Carolina Panthers (first stint)=
On January 26, 2013, Holcomb was hired as the linebackers coach for the Carolina Panthers.{{Cite web |last=Vrentas |first=Jenny |date=January 26, 2013 |title=Panthers hire Giants assistant Al Holcomb as linebackers coach |url=https://www.nj.com/super-bowl/2013/01/panthers_hire_giants_assistant_al_holcomb_as_linebackers_coach.html |access-date=September 16, 2024 |website=NJ.com |language=en}} He was Pro Football Focus's first runner-up to their Linebackers Coach of the Year award.{{Cite web |last=Hornsby |first=Neil |date=January 20, 2016 |title=Pro Football Focus' 2015 NFL Positional Coaches of the Year |url=https://www.profootballfocus.com/blog/2016/01/20/pro-pffs-2015-nfl-positional-coaches-of-the-year-awards/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160126020731/https://www.profootballfocus.com/blog/2016/01/20/pro-pffs-2015-nfl-positional-coaches-of-the-year-awards/ |archive-date=January 26, 2016 |website=PFF}}
In the 2015 season, Holcomb and the Panthers reached Super Bowl 50 on February 7, 2016. The Panthers fell to the Denver Broncos by a score of 24–10.{{cite web|url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/201602070den.htm|title=Super Bowl 50 – Denver Broncos vs. Carolina Panthers – February 7th, 2016|work=Pro-Football-Reference.com|access-date=August 7, 2017}}
=Arizona Cardinals=
On January 26, 2018, Holcomb was hired as defensive coordinator for the Arizona Cardinals.{{cite web | title=Cardinals hire McCoy as offensive coordinator, Holcomb as DC | website=USA TODAY | date=January 26, 2018 | url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/2018/01/26/cardinals-hire-mccoy-as-offensive-coordinator-holcomb-as-dc/109848728/ | access-date=September 16, 2024}} He was fired on December 31, 2018, along with head coach Steve Wilks.{{cite web | last=Dajani | first=Jordan | title=Cardinals fire offensive and defensive coordinators | website=247Sports | date=December 31, 2018 | url=https://247sports.com/article/cardinals-fire-byron-leftwich-al-holcomb-127110970/ | access-date=September 16, 2024}}
=Cleveland Browns=
On January 16, 2019, Holcomb was hired as linebackers coach and run game coordinator by the Cleveland Browns.{{Cite web |last=Cabot |first=Mary Kay |date=January 16, 2019 |title=Browns hire Al Holcomb as LB coach/defensive run game coordinator |url=https://www.cleveland.com/browns/2019/01/browns-hire-al-holcomb-as-lb-coachrun-game-coordinator.html#incart_big-photo |access-date=September 15, 2024 |website=Cleveland.com}}
=Carolina Panthers (second stint)=
On January 19, 2020, Holcomb returned to the Carolina Panthers and was hired as their defensive run game coordinator.{{cite web | title=Panthers announce 2020 coaching hires | website=Panthers.com | date=January 31, 2020 | url=https://www.panthers.com/news/panthers-2020-coaching-staff-announced-matt-rhule | access-date=September 16, 2024}}
The Panthers were selected to coach in the 2021 Senior Bowl, but linebackers coach Mike Siravo missed the game due to COVID-19 protocols, so Holcomb took over his duties in the game.{{Cite web |date=January 25, 2021 |title=Panthers add two to coaching staff, part ways with D-Line coach |url=https://www.panthers.com/news/panthers-add-two-to-coaching-staff |access-date=March 6, 2021 |website=Panthers.com}}
=Buffalo Bills=
On February 8, 2023, the Buffalo Bills hired Holcomb as a senior defensive assistant.{{Cite web |last=Marrero |first=Nathaniel |date=February 9, 2023 |title=Bills Hire Coach Al Holcomb as Senior Defensive Assistant |url=https://www.si.com/nfl/bills/news/buffalo-bills-hire-al-holcomb-carolina-panthers-sean-mcdermott-josh-allen |access-date=September 16, 2024 |website=Sports Illustrated}}
On February 2, 2024, he was appointed as linebackers coach.{{Cite web |last=White |first=Alec |date=February 2, 2024 |title=Bills name Al Holcomb as linebackers coach, Marcus West as defensive line coach |url=https://www.buffalobills.com/news/bills-name-al-holcomb-as-linebackers-coach-marcus-west-as-defensive-line-coach |access-date=September 16, 2024 |website=BuffaloBills.com}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{commons category}}
- [https://www.buffalobills.com/team/coaches-roster/al-holcomb Buffalo Bills bio]
{{NFL linebacker coaches}}
{{Super Bowl XLVI}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Holcomb, Al}}
Category:New York Giants coaches
Category:NFL defensive coordinators
Category:Temple Owls football coaches
Category:Colby Mules football coaches
Category:Bloomsburg Huskies football coaches
Category:Kutztown Golden Bears football coaches
Category:Lafayette Leopards football coaches
Category:Carolina Panthers coaches
Category:Arizona Cardinals coaches
Category:Cleveland Browns coaches