Anthony Blevins

{{Short description|American football player and coach (born 1976)}}

{{Infobox NFL biography

|image=

|caption=

|currentteam= Chicago Bears

|number=

|position= Assistant special teams coordinator

|birth_date={{Birth date and age|1976|7|23|mf=y}}

|birth_place=Birmingham, Alabama, U.S.

|height_ft=5

|height_in=10

|weight_lbs=170

|high_school=Pleasant Grove {{nowrap|(Pleasant Grove, Alabama)}}

|college=UAB

|pastteams=

Mobile Admirals (1999)
Birmingham Steeldogs (2000)
Birmingham Thunderbolts ({{XFL Year|2001}})

|pastcoaching=

Meadowcreek High School (2003–2004)
Secondary coach
Mississippi State (2005–2007)
Graduate assistant
UT Martin (2008)
Cornerbacks coach
Tennessee State (2009–2011)
Special teams coordinator & cornerbacks coach
UAB (2012)
Cornerbacks coach
Arizona Cardinals ({{NFL Year|2013|2017}})
Assistant special teams coach
New York Giants ({{NFL Year|2018|2019}})
Assistant special teams coach
New York Giants ({{NFL Year|2020}})
Assistant defensive backs coach
New York Giants ({{NFL Year|2021}})
Assistant linebackers coach & special teams assistant
New York Giants ({{NFL Year|2022}})
Assistant special teams coach
Birmingham Stallions ({{UFL Year|2024}})
Defensive assistant
Chicago Bears ({{NFL Year|2025}}–present)
Assistant special teams coach

|highlights=* UFL champion (2024)

|undraftedyear=1999

}}

Anthony Blevins (born July 23, 1976) is an American former professional football player and assistant special teams coordinator of the Chicago Bears of the National Football League (NFL). Blevins played in the original XFL with the Birmingham Thunderbolts{{Cite web|url=https://xflboard.com/teams/birmingham/news/01-01-15.php|title=XFLBoard.com -Training Camp Cuts|website=xflboard.com|date=16 January 2001 |access-date=2020-04-16}} and had been a full-time coach in the NFL from 2013 to 2022.{{Cite web|url=https://pro-football-history.com/coach/2161/anthony-blevins-bio|title=Anthony Blevins {{!}} Pro Football History.com|website=pro-football-history.com|access-date=2020-04-05}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.al.com/sports/2013/03/former_uab_player_assistant_an.html|title=Former UAB player, assistant Anthony Blevins getting chance to coach for NFL's Arizona Cardinals|last=AL.com|first=Drew Champlin {{!}}|date=2013-03-23|website=al|language=en|access-date=2020-04-05}}

Education

In addition Blevins has a vast array of college degrees from his bachelor's in Sociology, master's degree in Instructional Technology from UAB where he played defensive back, as well as his doctorate in Instructional Systems and Work Force Development from Mississippi State, which he received while serving as a graduate assistant there.{{Cite web|url=https://www.sny.tv/giants/news/anthony-blevins-joins-giants-as-assistant-special-teams-coach/265308092|title=Anthony Blevins joins Giants as assistant special teams coach|website=SNY|access-date=April 5, 2020}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/727452/2018/12/21/meet-doc-blev-the-lone-giants-assistant-coach-with-a-phd/|title=Meet 'Doc Blev': How Giants assistant Anthony Blevins...|last=Duggan|first=Dan|work=The Athletic|access-date=April 16, 2020}}

Playing career

After playing college football at UAB, Blevins played professionally for the Mobile Admirals of the Regional Football League, the Birmingham Steeldogs of af2 and the Birmingham Thunderbolts of the original XFL.{{cite web |date=July 7, 2023 |title=XFL Names Dr. Anthony Blevins Vegas Vipers Head Coach |url=https://www.xfl.com/xfl-latest-news/xfl-names-dr-anthony-blevins-vegas-vipers-head-coach |access-date=July 7, 2023 |publisher=XFL}}

Coaching career

=College coaching career=

Blevins began his career in coaching at Meadowcreek High School in Georgia. He spent 2 years there working as the team's secondary coach while also serving as a community liaison. From 2005-2007, he served as a graduate assistant at Mississippi State University.{{Cite web|date=2020-02-06|title=Joe Judge's Giants staff has college ties, five former head coaches|url=https://www.espn.com/blog/nflnation/post/_/id/305802/joe-judges-giants-staff-has-strong-college-influence-five-former-head-coaches|access-date=2021-03-20|website=ESPN.com}} In 2008 he coached at the University of Tennessee-Martin working with the team's cornerbacks while also serving as recruiting coordinator. Between 2009 and 2011, Blevins worked at Tennessee State coaching the special teams and cornerbacks. In 2012 Blevins returned to his alma mater as the Blazers' cornerbacks coach.

=Arizona Cardinals=

From 2013 to 2017, Blevins worked under Bruce Arians as an assistant special teams coach for the Arizona Cardinals.

=New York Giants=

In 2018,{{Cite web|title=Roger Kingdom, Anthony Blevins are latest Cardinals coaches to land new jobs|url=https://cardswire.usatoday.com/2018/01/25/roger-kingdom-anthony-blevins-are-latest-cardinals-coaches-to-land-new-jobs/|date=2018-01-25|website=Cards Wire|language=en|access-date=2020-05-06}} Blevins became a part of Pat Shurmur's staff, where he spent two seasons as the Giants' assistant special teams coach directly under Thomas McGaughey. In 2020 he was retained by Joe Judge who he coached with at Mississippi State and became the team's assistant secondary coach.{{Cite web|url=https://giantswire.usatoday.com/2020/01/21/new-york-anthony-blevins-expected-to-remain-with-giants/|title=Report: Anthony Blevins expected to remain with Giants|date=2020-01-21|website=Giants Wire|language=en|access-date=2020-04-16}} In 2021 he was named the team's assistant linebackers coach and special teams assistant. He was retained by Brian Daboll and moved to the team's assistant special teams coach.

=Vegas Vipers=

On July 7, 2023, Blevins was announced as the new head coach of the Vegas Vipers of the XFL, replacing Hall of Famer Rod Woodson who finished the previous season 2–8. Blevins never coached for the Vipers, who cancelled their stadium lease on August 31{{Cite web |date=2023-09-01 |title=XFL team on the move after first season in Las Vegas |url=https://www.reviewjournal.com/sports/vipers/xfl-team-on-the-move-after-first-season-in-las-vegas-2897258/ |access-date=2023-09-01 |website=Las Vegas Review-Journal |language=en-US}} and were formally contracted when the XFL merged into the United Football League prior to the start of the 2024 season.{{Cite web |last=Alexander |first=Mookie |date=2023-12-31 |title=Report: RIP, Seattle Sea Dragons?! |url=https://www.fieldgulls.com/2023/12/31/24020800/report-seattle-sea-dragons-not-part-usfl-xfl-merger-ufl-news |access-date=2024-01-01 |website=Field Gulls |language=en}}

= Birmingham Stallions =

On May 28, 2024, Blevins joined the Birmingham Stallions of the United Football League (UFL) as a defensive assistant.{{Cite web |last=Miller |first=Luke |date=2024-05-28 |title=Birmingham Stallions Lose DC John Chavis, Add Anthony Blevins |url=https://pfnewsroom.com/news/birmingham-stallions-lose-dc-john-chavis-add-anthony-blevins/ |access-date=2024-05-28 |website=Pro Football Newsroom |language=en-US}}

=Chicago Bears=

On February 19, 2025, the Chicago Bears hired Blevins to serve as their assistant special teams coach.{{Cite web|title=News of 2 Bears Coaching Additions Leaks Before Official Announcement|url=https://dawindycity.com/news-2-bears-coaching-additions-leaks-before-official-announcement-01jmg3ehkw73|access-date=February 25, 2025|website=dawindycity.com|language=en}}