Cole Popovich
{{Short description|American football player and coach (born 1985)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2019}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name = Cole Popovich
| image =
| alt =
| caption =
| current_team = Houston Texans
| position = Offensive line coach/run game coordinator
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1985|2|15|mf=y}}
| birth_place = Monterey Park, California, U.S.
| death_date =
| death_place =
| high_school = Yosemite (Oakhurst, California)
| college = Fresno State
| pastcoaching =
- Los Angeles Valley College (2011)
Offensive line coach - Fresno City College (2012–2013)
Offensive line coach - Utah State (2013–2014)
Graduate assistant - Minot State (2014–2015)
Offensive line coach & Co-offensive coordinator - New England Patriots ({{NFL Year|2016}}–{{NFL Year|2018}})
Coaching assistant - New England Patriots ({{NFL Year|2019}})
Assistant running backs coach - New England Patriots ({{NFL Year|2020}})
Co-offensive line coach - Franklin High School (2021)
Offensive line coach - Troy (2022)
Offensive line coach - Houston Texans ({{NFL Year|2023|2024}})
Assistant offensive line coach - Houston Texans ({{NFL Year|2025}}–present)
Offensive line coach & run game coordinator
| highlights =
- 2× Super Bowl champion (LI, LIII)
- Paul Shechter Courage Award (2007)
- Unanimous All-American (2004)
| coachregrecord =
| coachplayoffrecord =
| coachrecord =
| pfrcoach =
}}
Cole Popovich (born February 15, 1985) is an American football coach who is the offensive line coach and run game coordinator for the Houston Texans of the National Football League (NFL).
College career
Popovich was a four-year starter as left guard on the Fresno State Bulldogs football team from 2004 to 2007. He was also named a unanimous Freshman All-American in 2005.{{cite web |last1=Hill |first1=Rich |title=New Patriots coach Cole Popovich is "a great fundamental teacher of offensive line play" |date=July 24, 2016 |url=https://www.patspulpit.com/2016/7/24/12265030/new-patriots-coach-cole-popovich-is-a-great-fundamental-teacher-of-offensive-line-play |publisher=Pats Pulpit |access-date=August 15, 2019}}
Coaching career
Popovich coached at the collegiate level for 5 seasons, working in various colleges such as Los Angeles Valley, Fresno City, Utah State, and Minot State before joining the Patriots' staff in 2016.{{cite web |title=Cole Popovich |url=https://www.patriots.com/team/coaches-roster/cole-popovich |website=Patriots.com |access-date=August 15, 2019 |archive-date=July 28, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200728201847/https://www.patriots.com/team/coaches-roster/cole-popovich |url-status=dead }} He was part of the Patriots coaching staff that won Super Bowl LI. In the game, the Patriots defeated the Atlanta Falcons by a score of 34–28 in overtime.{{cite web|url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/201702050atl.htm|title=Super Bowl LI - New England Patriots vs. Atlanta Falcons - February 5th, 2017|work=Pro-Football-Reference.com|access-date=August 15, 2019}} Popovich won his second Super Bowl title when the Patriots defeated the Los Angeles Rams in Super Bowl LIII.{{Cite web |title=Super Bowl LIII - Los Angeles Rams vs. New England Patriots - February 3rd, 2019 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/201902030ram.htm |access-date=2023-02-19 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}} In 2020 it was announced that he would become the co-offensive line coach with Carmen Bricilloin order to replace Dante Scarnecchia.{{Cite web|title=Replacing Dante Scarnecchia: Cole Popovich and Carmen Bricillo leading Patriots O-Line meetings|url=https://www.masslive.com/patriots/2020/05/patriots-replacing-dante-scarnecchia-at-offensive-line-coach-with-cole-popovich-and-carmen-bricillo.html|date=2020-05-05|website=masslive|language=en|access-date=2020-05-06}}{{Cite web|title=Who's Taking Over Patriots O-Line Coach Duties From Dante Scarnecchia? {{!}} New England Patriots {{!}} NESN.com|date=May 5, 2020|url=https://nesn.com/2020/05/whos-taking-over-patriots-o-line-coach-duties-from-dante-scarnecchia/|language=en-US|access-date=2020-05-06}}
On July 23, 2021, despite Bill Belichick desiring to keep Popovich on his offensive staff, it was reported that Popovich would not be coaching for the Patriots in 2021 due to reasons relating to the COVID-19 vaccine.{{cite tweet |last=Reiss |first=Mike |user=MikeReiss |number=1418660025271259141 |date=July 23, 2021 |title=Patriots co-OL coach Cole Popovich won't be with the team in 2021 in a decision related to the COVID-19 vaccine and NFL guidelines, per league sources. @globejimmcbride 1st reported Popovich won't be with the team. Carmen Bricillo, co-OL coach in '20, takes on leading role. |language=en |access-date=July 26, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210725053718/https://twitter.com/MikeReiss/status/1418660025271259141 |archive-date=July 25, 2021 |url-status=live}}{{Cite web|title=Patriots Coach's Departure Related to 'COVID-19 Vaccine and NFL Guidelines': Report|url=https://www.nbcboston.com/news/sports/nbcsports/patriots-coachs-departure-related-to-covid-19-vaccine-and-nfl-guidelines-report/2439474/|access-date=2021-07-23|website=NBC Boston|date=July 23, 2021 |language=en-US}} Upon departing from the Patriots, Popovich instead spent the 2021 season as the offensive line coach for Franklin High School in nearby Franklin, MA.{{cite web | url=https://www.houstontexans.com/team/coaches-roster/cole-popovich#:~:text=Popovich%20spent%20the%202021%20season,the%20state%20by%20Max%20Preps. | title=Official Site of the Houston Texans }}
Popovich was hired by Jon Sumrall at Troy in January, 2022 to be the offensive line coach for the Trojans.
On February 23, 2023, Popovich was hired by the Houston Texans to be their assistant offensive line coach.{{cite news |title=Houston Texans Announce 2023 Coaching Staff |url=https://www.houstontexans.com/news/houston-texans-announce-2023-coaching-staff|website=HoustonTexans.com |date=February 24, 2023 |access-date=February 24, 2023}} He was promoted as offensive line coach and run game coordinator on February 4, 2025.{{Cite web|title=Texans promote Cole Popovich to OL coach/run game coordinator|url=https://www.nbcsports.com/nfl/profootballtalk/rumor-mill/news/texans-promote-cole-popovich-to-ol-coach-run-game-coordinator|access-date=February 4, 2025|website=nbcsports.com|language=en}}
Personal life
Popovich is married to his wife Jessica, and they have two sons.{{cite web |title=Cole Popovich |url=https://msubeavers.com/coaches.aspx?rc=368 |website=msubeaver.com |access-date=August 15, 2019}} He is distantly related to NBA coaching legend Gregg Popovich.{{Cite web|url=https://boston.cbslocal.com/2020/09/02/patriots-cole-popovich-discovered-related-to-gregg-popovich/|title=Patriots Coach Cole Popovich Recently Discovered He's Related to Gregg Popovich|date=September 2, 2020}}
References
External links
- [https://gobulldogs.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=3290 Fresno State Bulldogs bio]
- [https://msubeavers.com/coaches.aspx?rc=368 Minot State Beavers bio]
- [https://www.patriots.com/team/coaches-roster/cole-popovich New England Patriots bio] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200728201847/https://www.patriots.com/team/coaches-roster/cole-popovich |date=July 28, 2020 }}
{{NFL offensive line coaches}}
{{Super Bowl LI}}
{{Super Bowl LIII}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Popovich, Cole}}
Category:Fresno State Bulldogs football players
Category:Utah State Aggies football coaches
Category:Minot State Beavers football coaches
Category:New England Patriots coaches
Category:Troy Trojans football coaches
Category:Houston Texans coaches
Category:Players of American football from Los Angeles County, California