Alex Van Pelt

{{Short description|American football player and coach (born 1970)}}

{{Infobox NFL biography

| name = Alex Van Pelt

| image = Alex Van Pelt in 2014.jpg

| caption = Van Pelt at Packers training camp in 2014.

| current_team = Los Angeles Rams

| position = Senior offensive assistant

| number =

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1970|5|1|mf=y}}

| birth_place = Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S.

| height_ft = 6

| height_in = 1

| weight_lb = 265

| high_school = Winston Churchill {{nowrap|(San Antonio, Texas)}}

| college = Pittsburgh

| draftyear = 1993

| draftround = 8

| draftpick = 216

| pastteams =

Pittsburgh Steelers (1993)*
Kansas City Chiefs ({{NFL Year|1993}})
Buffalo Bills ({{NFL Year|1994|2003}})

| pastcoaching =

Frankfurt Galaxy (2005)
Quarterbacks coach
University at Buffalo (2005)
Volunteer quarterbacks coach
Buffalo Bills ({{NFL Year|2006|2007}})
Offensive quality control coach
Buffalo Bills ({{NFL Year|2008}})
Quarterbacks coach
Buffalo Bills ({{NFL Year|2009}})
Offensive coordinator & quarterbacks coach
Tampa Bay Buccaneers ({{NFL Year|2010|2011}})
Quarterbacks coach
Green Bay Packers ({{NFL Year|2012|2013}})
Running backs coach
Green Bay Packers ({{NFL Year|2014|2017}})
Quarterbacks coach
Cincinnati Bengals ({{NFL Year|2018|2019}})
Quarterbacks coach
Cleveland Browns ({{NFL Year|2020|2022}})
Offensive coordinator
Cleveland Browns ({{NFL Year|2023}})
Offensive coordinator & quarterbacks coach
New England Patriots ({{NFL Year|2024}})
Offensive coordinator
Los Angeles Rams ({{NFL Year|2025}}–present)
Senior offensive assistant

| highlights =

2× Second-team All-East (1989, 1990)

| statlabel1 = TD–INT

| statvalue1 = 16–24

| statlabel2 = Passing yards

| statvalue2 = 2,985

| statlabel3 = Passer rating

| statvalue3 = 64.1

| regular_record =

| playoff_record =

| overall_record =

| pfr = /V/VanPAl00

| pfrcoach = VanPAl0

}}

Gregory Alexander Van Pelt (born May 1, 1970) is an American professional football coach and former quarterback who currently serves as a senior offensive assistant with the Los Angeles Rams of the National Football League. He played in the NFL primarily with the Buffalo Bills. Van Pelt previously served as an assistant coach for the Bills, Cincinnati Bengals, Green Bay Packers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Cleveland Browns, New England Patriots.

Playing career

=College=

Van Pelt attended the University of Pittsburgh, where he was a 4-year starting quarterback for the Panthers. When he graduated, Van Pelt broke school career passing records previously set by Dan Marino, holding records for most career passing yards, completions, and attempts in Pitt history.{{Cite web |title=Cleveland Browns |url=https://www.clevelandbrowns.com/team/coaches-roster/alex-van-pelt |access-date=2024-07-31 |website=www.clevelandbrowns.com |language=en-US}} His single-season mark of 3,163 passing yards in 1992 was broken in 2003 by Rod Rutherford.

1989: 192/347 for 2,881 yards with 17 touchdowns vs 12 interceptions. Ran for 4 touchdowns.
1990: 201/351 for 2,427 yards with 14 touchdowns vs 17 interceptions. Ran for 2 touchdowns.
1991: 227/398 for 2,796 yards with 15 touchdowns vs 14 interceptions. Ran for 1 touchdown.
1992: 245/407 for 3,163 yards with 20 touchdowns vs 17 interceptions.

=Professional=

Van Pelt was an eighth round draft pick of his hometown franchise Pittsburgh Steelers, but was released during training camp.{{Cite web |title=1993 NFL Draft Listing |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/1993/draft.htm |access-date=2023-03-31 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}} Van Pelt spent three games with the Kansas City Chiefs late in the 1993 NFL season following a hamstring injury to Joe Montana. He was re-signed by the Chiefs prior to the 1994 NFL season, but was released during training camp. He was signed by the Buffalo Bills later in the 1994 season following a knee injury sustained by Jim Kelly and spent the remainder of his career as a backup with the Bills.{{cite news|last=Cook|first=Ron|title=Cook: Van Pelt makes mark on Bills|url=http://old.post-gazette.com/sports/columnists/20011226cook1226np1.asp|newspaper=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette|access-date=August 25, 2017}}

Van Pelt's first NFL win as a starter would come on November 2, 1997, against Dan Marino and the Miami Dolphins. In 2001, he started eight games, going 2–6, and playing well enough to justify a contract extension that would allow the Bills to release failed Jim Kelly successor Todd Collins. Van Pelt would not start any games after 2001 due to a Bills trade with the New England Patriots for Drew Bledsoe, who became the full-time starting quarterback. Van Pelt remained with the team as Bledsoe's backup for the next two seasons before retiring.

In his eleven-year career, Van Pelt totaled 16 touchdowns and 24 interceptions on 477 pass attempts in 31 career appearances and 11 starts.{{cite web |title=Alex Van Pelt |url=http://www.nfl.com/player/alexvanpelt/2503454/careerstats |website=nfl.com |access-date=25 February 2020}}

Broadcasting career

After retiring from football in 2004, Van Pelt was John Murphy's partner on Bills Radio Network broadcasts. He did color commentary for the radio broadcast of all Bills games during the 2004 season.{{cite web |title=Alex Van Pelt cut; joins Bills Radio Team |url=https://247sports.com/nfl/buffalo-bills/Article/Alex-Van-Pelt-cut-joins-Bills-Radio-Team-104077822/ |website=247sports.com |access-date=25 February 2020}}

Coaching career

=Frankfurt Galaxy=

Van Pelt began his coaching career in 2005 as the quarterbacks coach for the Frankfurt Galaxy of NFL Europe, the NFL's developmental league, where he was also responsible for all offensive play calling.{{cite web |last1=Grlbble |first1=Andrew |title=Alex Van Pelt sees 'great opportunity' as Browns offensive coordinator |url=https://www.clevelandbrowns.com/news/alex-van-pelt-sees-great-opportunity-as-browns-offensive-coordinator |website=clevelandbrowns.com |access-date=25 February 2020}}

=University at Buffalo=

After the end of the NFL Europe season, Van Pelt returned to Buffalo, spending the 2005 college football season as a volunteer quarterbacks coach for the University at Buffalo.{{Cite web |title=Young coach, young QB is where story begins |url=https://www.packers.com/news/young-coach-young-qb-is-where-story-begins-6957841 |access-date=2024-07-31 |website=www.packers.com |language=en-US}}

=Buffalo Bills=

On February 13, 2006, Van Pelt returned to the Bills, this time being hired by head coach Dick Jauron as an offensive quality control coach. On January 16, 2008, the Bills promoted him to quarterbacks coach. On September 4, 2009, he was promoted again to offensive coordinator after Turk Schonert was abruptly fired just 10 days prior to the season opener.{{Cite web |date=2009-09-04 |title=Bills fire O-boss Schonert, promote QBs coach |url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/news/story?id=4446060 |access-date=2024-07-31 |website=ESPN.com |language=en}}

On January 4, 2010, Van Pelt, along with the rest of the Bills coaching staff, was fired following a 6–10 season.{{Cite web|url=http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2010/01/04/bills-fire-entire-coaching-staff/|title=Bills fire entire coaching staff|date=January 4, 2010}}

=Tampa Bay Buccaneers=

Van Pelt was hired by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as the quarterbacks coach on February 1, 2010.{{cite web |author=Clayton, John |title=Source: Bucs hire Van Pelt to coach QBs |url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/news/story?id=4877380 |work=ESPN.com |date=February 1, 2010 |access-date=February 1, 2010}} When Buccaneers head coach Raheem Morris was fired on January 2, 2012, the whole staff was let go as well.

=Green Bay Packers=

Van Pelt was hired by the Packers as the running backs coach, reuniting him with his longtime friend, head coach Mike McCarthy, on February 13, 2012.{{Cite web |title=Young coach, young QB is where story begins |url=https://www.packers.com/news/young-coach-young-qb-is-where-story-begins-6957841 |access-date=2024-07-31 |website=www.packers.com |language=en-US}} On February 7, 2014, Van Pelt was promoted to quarterbacks coach. He left the team when his contract expired on January 3, 2018.{{cite web | last=Demovsky | first=Rob | title=Alex Van Pelt: 'Tough' to leave Packers, but Aaron Rodgers' QB coach won't look back | website=ESPN.com | date=2018-02-22 | url=https://www.espn.com/blog/nflnation/post/_/id/269573/alex-van-pelt-tough-to-leave-packers-but-aaron-rodgers-qb-coach-wont-look-back | access-date=2024-09-13}}

=Cincinnati Bengals=

On January 12, 2018, Van Pelt was hired by the Cincinnati Bengals as their quarterbacks coach.{{cite web|title=Van Pelt to coach Bengals QBs; Defensive staff complete|website=Bengals.com|url=http://m.bengals.com/s/30838/360?itemUri=1341131871/5122414131214127612761412118109|author=Hobson, Geoff|date=January 12, 2018|access-date=September 22, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180113150330/http://m.bengals.com/s/30838/360?itemUri=1341131871%2F5122414131214127612761412118109|archive-date=January 13, 2018|url-status=dead}}

=Cleveland Browns=

On January 29, 2020, Van Pelt was hired by the Cleveland Browns as their offensive coordinator under head coach Kevin Stefanski.{{cite web |last1=Trotter |first1=Jake |title=Source: Alex Van Pelt joining Browns as offensive coordinator |url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/28595721/source-alex-van-pelt-joining-browns-offensive-coordinator |website=espn.com |date=January 30, 2020 |publisher=ESPN, Inc. |access-date=25 February 2020}} Stefanski missed the team's wild card playoff game against the Pittsburgh Steelers on January 10, 2021, and Van Pelt took over as offensive play caller for the game.{{cite news |author=DeArdo, Bryan |title=Alex Van Pelt hopes Kevin Stefanski 'doesn't yell at his TV' too much during the Browns-Steelers playoff game |url=https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/alex-van-pelt-hopes-kevin-stefanski-doesnt-yell-at-his-tv-too-much-during-the-browns-steelers-playoff-game/ |website=CBSSports.com |date=January 7, 2021 |access-date=March 5, 2021}}

On February 26, 2023, Van Pelt added the role of quarterbacks coach to his title.{{cite web | last=Mueller | first=Jared | title=Report: Browns new QB coach is a familiar name | website=Dawgs By Nature | date=2023-02-26 | url=https://www.dawgsbynature.com/2023/2/26/23616108/browns-alex-van-pelt-returns-qb-coach-role | access-date=2024-09-13}}

On January 17, 2024, Van Pelt was fired by the Browns following the team's 45–14 loss to the Houston Texans in the AFC playoffs.{{cite web |last1=Walker |first1=Rhiannon |title=Browns part ways with former OC Alex Van Pelt |url=https://sports.yahoo.com/browns-part-ways-with-former-oc-alex-van-pelt-200034894.html |website=Yahoo! Sports |date=January 17, 2024 |publisher=Yahoo! |access-date=25 January 2024}}

=New England Patriots=

On February 1, 2024, Van Pelt was named the new offensive coordinator for the New England Patriots under new head coach Jerrod Mayo.{{cite web |title=Patriots Announce New Group of Coordinators |url=https://www.patriots.com/news/patriots-announce-new-group-of-coordinators |website=Patriots.com |date=February 1, 2024}} However, Mayo was fired after a 4-13 season in 2024, and Van Pelt was not retained by the Patriots upon the hiring of new head coach Mike Vrabel.{{Cite web |title=Patriots Announce Coordinator Positions on Mike Vrabel's Coaching Staff |url=https://www.patriots.com/news/patriots-announce-coordinator-positions-on-mike-vrabel-s-coaching-staff |access-date=2025-01-22 |website=www.patriots.com |language=en-US}}

=Los Angeles Rams=

On February 24, 2025, the Rams franchise announced the hiring of Van Pelt as a senior offensive assistant for head coach Sean McVay.{{Cite web |date=February 24, 2025 |title=Rams hire Alex Van Pelt, announce full 2025 coaching staff |url=https://www.nbcsports.com/nfl/profootballtalk/rumor-mill/news/rams-hire-alex-van-pelt-announce-full-2025-coaching-staff |access-date=2025-02-24 |website=NBCSports.com}}

Personal life

Van Pelt lives in Cleveland, Ohio with his wife Brooke and their three children.{{cite web|title=Packers official bio|url=http://www.packers.com/team/coaches/van-pelt-alex/e4eb93fb-654c-475d-8547-7c97864bfb99|publisher=Green Bay Packers|access-date=June 10, 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714223857/http://www.packers.com/team/coaches/van-pelt-alex/e4eb93fb-654c-475d-8547-7c97864bfb99|archive-date=July 14, 2014}}