Chris Rumph

{{Short description|American football player and coach (born 1971)}}

{{Infobox NFL biography

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| name = Chris Rumph

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| current_team = Clemson Tigers

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| position = Defensive ends coach

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1971|12|21}}

| birth_place = St. Matthews, South Carolina, U.S.

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| high_school = Calhoun County

| college = South Carolina

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South Carolina (1997)
Graduate assistant
Calhoun County HS (SC) (1997–2001)
Head coach
South Carolina State (2002)
Defensive backs coach
Memphis (2003–2005)
Outside linebackers coach
Clemson (2006–2010)
Defensive ends coach
Alabama (2011–2013)
Defensive line coach
Texas (2014)
Assistant head coach & defensive line coach
Florida (2015–2016)
Defensive line coach
Florida (2017)
Co-defensive coordinator & defensive line coach
Tennessee (2018–2019)
Co-defensive coordinator & outside linebackers coach
Houston Texans ({{nfly|2020}})
Outside linebackers coach
Chicago Bears ({{nfly|2021}})
Defensive line coach
Minnesota Vikings ({{nfly|2022}}–{{nfly|2023}})
Defensive line coach
Clemson (2024–present)
Defensive ends coach

| highlights =

2× BCS national champion (2011, 2012)

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Chris Rumph (born December 21, 1971) is an American football coach who is currently the defensive ends coach at Clemson University. He previously served as the defensive line coach for the Minnesota Vikings of the National Football League (NFL).{{Cite web|title=Chris Rumph|url=https://www.chicagobears.com/team/coaches/chris-rumph|access-date=2021-02-16|website=www.chicagobears.com|language=en-US}} Rumph previously coached at the collegiate level for over 15 years.{{Cite web|title=Chicago Bears hire Chris Rumph as defensive line coach|url=https://www.westernmassnews.com/chicago-bears-hire-chris-rumph-as-defensive-line-coach/article_8dd7d78c-ba8f-54d6-a83b-3083e43b7404.html|access-date=2021-02-16|website=WesternMassNews.com|language=en}}

Playing career

At the University of South Carolina, Rumph played on the defensive side at linebacker for South Carolina under head coaches Sparky Woods and Brad Scott.

Coaching career

= Early coaching career =

After a spring as a graduate assistant at his college alma mater, Rumph, would go on to be the head coach at his former high school for five years,{{Cite web|title=Report: Bears hiring Chris Rumph as defensive line coach|url=https://sports.yahoo.com/report-bears-hiring-chris-rumph-165848988.html|access-date=2021-02-16|website=sports.yahoo.com|language=en-US}} After a one-year stint with South Carolina State coaching defensive backs and three years coaching outside linebackers at Memphis, Rumph joined Clemson’s staff and remained there for five seasons.

=Alabama=

From there, Rumph moved to Alabama {{Cite web|last=Kirkwood|first=Walter|title=Alabama Defensive Line Overhaul To Be Led by Chris Rumph|url=https://bleacherreport.com/articles/562112-chris-rumph-leads-overhaul-alabamas-defensive-line|access-date=2021-02-16|website=Bleacher Report|language=en}} to replace Bo Davis. There, he won back-to-back BCS national championships as the team’s defensive line coach.{{Cite web|date=2021-01-28|title=Chicago Bears hire Chris Rumph as defensive line coach|url=https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/sports/national/story/2021-01-28/chicago-bears-hire-chris-rumph-as-defensive-line-coach|access-date=2021-02-16|website=San Diego Union-Tribune|language=en}}{{Cite news|last=Walsh|first=Christopher|title=Where Are They Now: Former Alabama Defensive Line Coach Chris Rumph|url=https://www.si.com/college/alabama/bamanfl/where-are-they-now-former-alabama-defensive-line-coach-chris-rumph|access-date=2021-08-15|website=Sports Illustrated Alabama Crimson Tide News, Analysis and More|language=en}}

=Texas=

Rumph spent the 2014 season at Texas as the team’s assistant head coach for defense/defensive line.

=Florida=

Rumph joined the Gators’ staff as a defensive line coach in 2015 and was promoted to co-defensive coordinator prior to the 2017 season. He served as Florida's full-time defensive coordinator for the final four games of the season after Randy Shannon was promoted to interim head coach when Jim McElwain was fired.{{Cite web|last=Sallee|first=Barrett|title=Florida Football: Chris Rumph Will Keep the Gators DL Elite|url=https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2356535-florida-football-chris-rumph-will-keep-the-gators-dl-elite|access-date=2021-08-15|website=Bleacher Report|language=en}}

=Tennessee=

Rumph worked as the defensive coordinator for Tennessee in 2018 and 2019.{{Cite web|last=Fleser|first=Dan|title=UT Vols' Chris Rumph: 'It's an ugly baby right now'|url=https://www.knoxnews.com/story/sports/college/university-of-tennessee/football/2018/09/24/ut-assistant-chris-rumph-vols-its-ugly-baby-right-now/1412141002/|access-date=2021-08-15|website=Knoxville News Sentinel|language=en-US}}{{cite web | last=Bratton | first=Michael Wayne | title=Chris Rumph explains decision to turn down Dan Mullen's offer to stay at Florida for Jeremy Pruitt and Tennessee | website=Saturday Down South | date=2018-08-03 | url=https://www.saturdaydownsouth.com/tennessee-football/chris-rumph-explains-decision-to-turn-down-dan-mullens-offer-to-stay-at-florida-for-jeremy-pruitt-and-tennessee/ | access-date=2024-10-11}}

=Houston Texans=

Rumph then made the jump to the NFL and worked as the team's outside linebackers coach for the 2020 season.{{Cite web|last=Lambert|first=Terry A.|date=2020-02-10|title=Reports: Chris Rumph joining the Texans staff|url=https://www.rockytoptalk.com/2020/2/10/21131427/tennessee-vols-football-assistant-coach-chris-rumph-joining-houston-texans-staff|access-date=2021-08-15|website=Rocky Top Talk|language=en}}{{Cite web|title=Source: Bears hire Chris Rumph as defensive line coach|url=https://www.nbcsports.com/chicago/bears/bears-hire-former-texans-assistant-chris-rumph-defensive-line-coach|access-date=2021-08-15|website=RSN|date=28 January 2021 |language=en}}

=Chicago Bears=

In 2021, Rumph became the defensive line coach for the Chicago Bears.{{Cite web|last=Wiltfong|first=Lester A. Jr.|date=2021-01-28|title=Bears hire Chris Rumph as defensive line coach|url=https://www.windycitygridiron.com/2021/1/28/22254502/chicago-bears-chris-rumph-defensive-line-coach-houston-texans-florida-gators-tennessee-volunteers|access-date=2021-08-15|website=Windy City Gridiron|language=en}} He was not retained by the team following the firing of head coach Matt Nagy after the conclusion of the 2021 season.

=Minnesota Vikings=

In 2022, Rumph became the defensive line coach for the Minnesota Vikings under head coach Kevin O'Connell.

Personal life

Rumph and his wife, Kila, are parents of two sons. He also has a daughter from before marriage. One son, Chris Rumph II played college football at Duke and was drafted by the Los Angeles Chargers with the 13th pick in Round 4 (118th overall) of the 2021 draft.{{Cite web|title=Chris Rumph II - 2020 - Football|url=https://goduke.com/sports/football/roster/chris-rumph-ii/16265|access-date=2021-02-16|website=Duke University|language=en}}