Greg Scruggs

{{Short description|American football player and coach (born 1990)}}

{{Infobox NFL biography

| name = Greg Scruggs

| image = Greg Scruggs.png

| image_size =

| alt =

| caption = Scruggs with the Seattle Seahawks in 2012

| current_team = San Francisco 49ers

| number =

| position = Assistant defensive line coach

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1990|8|17}}

| birth_place = Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S.

| high_school = St. Xavier (Cincinnati)

| college = Louisville

| height_ft = 6

| height_in = 3

| weight_lb=275

| draftyear = 2012

| draftround = 7

| draftpick = 232

| pastteams =

Seattle Seahawks ({{NFL Year|2012}}–{{NFL Year|2015}})
Chicago Bears (2015–{{NFL Year|2016}})
New England Patriots (2016)

| pastcoaching =

Cincinnati (2018–2019)
Director of player development
Cincinnati (2020–2021)
Defensive line coach
New York Jets ({{nfly|2022}})
Assistant defensive line coach
Wisconsin (2023)
Defensive line coach
San Francisco 49ers ({{NFL Year|2025}}–present)
Assistant defensive line coach

| highlights =

2× Super Bowl champion (XLVIII, LI)

|statweek=

|statseason=

|statlabel1=Total tackles

|statvalue1= 11

|statlabel2=Sacks

|statvalue2= 3.0

|statlabel3=Pass deflections

|statvalue3= 1

|pfr=ScruGr00

}}

Greg Scruggs (born August 17, 1990) is an American football coach and former player who is the defensive line coach for the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League (NFL). He played professionally in the NFL as a defensive end.

Scruggs played college football for the Louisville Cardinals and was selected by the Seattle Seahawks in the 2012 NFL draft. He also played for the New England Patriots and the Chicago Bears. Scruggs was a defensive line coach for the New York Jets, Cincinnati Bearcats, and the Wisconsin Badgers.

Early life

Scruggs was born in Cincinnati, and lived in the city's Winton Terrace housing project{{cite news|title=Students trade the streets for opportunity|first=Mark|last=Curnutte|work=The Cincinnati Enquirer|publisher=Gannett Company|date=May 31, 2012|access-date=June 13, 2012|url=http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20120530/NEWS/305300102/Students-trade-streets-opportunity|quote=Greg Scruggs grew up in the Winton Terrace public housing project and, as early as fourth grade, felt the strong pull of the streets.}} before joining the local Boys Hope Girls Hope residential program in 2003.{{cite web|title=BHGH Cincinnati Graduate, Greg Scruggs, is slated to be recruited in 2012 NFL Draft|first=Hayley|last=Day|publisher=Boys Hope Girls Hope of Cincinnati|date=April 26, 2012|access-date=May 4, 2012|url=http://www.bhghcincinnati.org/bhgh-of-cincinnati-graduate-greg-scruggs-is-slated-to-be-recruited-in-2012-nfl-draft/|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130921105159/http://www.bhghcincinnati.org/bhgh-of-cincinnati-graduate-greg-scruggs-is-slated-to-be-recruited-in-2012-nfl-draft/|archive-date=September 21, 2013}} As a student at St. Xavier High School in Cincinnati, he lived in the Boys Hope House on campus. After playing the quad drums in the school marching band for three years and varsity basketball for two, he reluctantly joined the football team his senior year, at the behest of head coach Steve Specht. Scruggs graduated in 2008.{{cite news|title=U of L's Greg Scruggs learns to march to the beat of success|first=C. L.|last=Brown|work=The Courier-Journal|location=Louisville, Kentucky|publisher=Gannett Company|url=http://www.courier-journal.com/article/20090708/SPORTS02/907080402/U-L-s-Greg-Scruggs-learns-march-beat-success|quote=The University of Louisville's sophomore defensive end gained his popularity at Cincinnati St. Xavier High School for being the kid with flair who had the 'quints' drum set strapped to his shoulder.}}{{cite web|title=St. Xavier Basketball History|publisher=St. Xavier High School|location=Cincinnati, Ohio|access-date=May 4, 2012|url=http://www.stxavier.org/page.cfm?p=1033|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130416013854/http://www.stxavier.org/page.cfm?p=1033|archive-date=April 16, 2013}}

College career

Scruggs played defensive tackle for the University of Louisville Cardinals and graduated in 2011.{{cite web |author=Greg Scruggs |url=http://www.uoflsports.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/scruggs_greg00.html |title=Player Bio: Greg Scruggs - University of Louisville Official Athletic Site |publisher=Uoflsports.com |access-date=May 25, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120820233140/http://www.uoflsports.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/scruggs_greg00.html |archive-date=August 20, 2012 }}

Professional career

=Seattle Seahawks=

Scruggs was selected as the 25th pick in the seventh round, 232nd overall, in the 2012 NFL draft by the Seattle Seahawks.{{Cite web |title=2012 NFL Draft Listing |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/2012/draft.htm |access-date=May 14, 2023 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}{{cite web|last=O'Neil |first=Danny |url=http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/seahawksblog/2018096657_seventhroundv20degregscruggslouisville.html |title=Seventh round (v.2.0): DE Greg Scruggs, Louisville {{pipe}} Seahawks Blog {{pipe}} The Seattle Times |publisher=Seattletimes.nwsource.com |date=April 28, 2012 |access-date=May 25, 2012}}[https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/redskins/seattle-takes-nc-states-jr-sweezy-and-louisvilles-greg-scruggs-with-7th-round-picks/2012/04/28/gIQAf7GCoT_story.html]{{dead link|date=June 2021|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}} NFL Network analyst Bucky Brooks stated that Scruggs is a competitive defensive end with toughness and will have to battle for a backup spot on the Seahawks' roster.{{cite web |url=http://www.nfl.com/draft/2012/profiles/greg-scruggs?id=2535138 |title=Greg Scruggs Draft Profile – |work=Nfl.com |access-date=May 25, 2012 |archive-date=May 2, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120502074701/http://www.nfl.com/draft/2012/profiles/greg-scruggs?id=2535138 |url-status=dead }} On August 27, 2013, the Seahawks placed Scruggs on the reserve/physically unable to perform list.{{cite web |url=https://www.espn.com/blog/nfcwest/post/_/id/107776/seattle-seahawks-reduce-roster-to-75 |title=Seattle Seahawks reduce roster to 75 |last=Blount |first=Terry |date=August 27, 2013 |website=ESPN.com |access-date=September 6, 2013}} The Seahawks announced on August 31, 2015, they waived Scruggs, making him a free agent.{{Cite web |last=Boyle |first=John |date=August 31, 2015 |title=Seahawks Reduce Roster to 76 Players |url=http://www.seahawks.com/news/2015/08/31/seahawks-reduce-roster-76-players |access-date=August 31, 2015 |website=Seahawks.com}}

= Chicago Bears =

On December 31, 2015, Scruggs signed with the Chicago Bears. On January 3, 2016, Scruggs recorded his third career sack against the Detroit Lions.{{Cite web|title = Lions vs. Bears - Box Score - January 3, 2016 - ESPN|url = https://www.espn.com/nfl/boxscore?gameId=400791659|website = ESPN.com|access-date = February 20, 2016}}

During the 2016 offseason, Scruggs switched from the defensive end position to tight end.{{cite news|work=ChicagoTribune.com|url=http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/football/bears/blog/ct-greg-scruggs-tight-end-20160511-story.html|title=Has defensive lineman Greg Scruggs moved to tight end?|first=Brad |last=Biggs|date=May 11, 2016|access-date=September 4, 2016}}{{cite web|work=ChicagoBears.com|url=http://www.chicagobears.com/news/article-1/Scruggs-adjusting-to-other-side-of-ball/43249173-2c2d-4bc1-a212-86501a54e7c9|title=Scruggs adjusting to other side of ball|date=July 11, 2016|first=Larry|last=Mayer|access-date=September 4, 2016|archive-date=September 16, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160916032720/http://www.chicagobears.com/news/article-1/Scruggs-adjusting-to-other-side-of-ball/43249173-2c2d-4bc1-a212-86501a54e7c9|url-status=dead}} He was released by the Bears on September 27, 2016.{{cite web|title=Bears ink Joique Bell, put Fuller on IR|url=https://www.chicagobears.com/news/bears-ink-joique-bell-put-fuller-on-ir-17778410|author=Mayer, Larry|website=ChicagoBears.com|access-date=September 27, 2016|archive-date=December 31, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181231092630/https://www.chicagobears.com/news/bears-ink-joique-bell-put-fuller-on-ir-17778410|url-status=dead}}

=New England Patriots=

On October 1, 2016, Scruggs was signed by the New England Patriots.{{cite web|title=Patriots make a series of transactions|url=http://www.patriots.com/news/2016/10/01/patriots-make-series-transactions|website=Patriots.com|date=October 1, 2016}} He was placed on injured reserve on October 15, 2016, with a knee injury after being inactive for the first two games he was on the Patriots roster.{{cite web|title=Patriots sign DL Geneo Grisson and DL Anthony Johnson to the 53-man roster; Place LB Jonathan Freeny and TE Greg Scruggs on Injured Reserve|url=https://www.patriots.com/news/patriots-sign-dl-geneo-grissom-and-dl-anthony-johnson-to-the-53-man-roste-275451|website=Patriots.com|date=October 15, 2016}} Scruggs would not play when the Patriots won Super Bowl LI on February 5, 2017. Scruggs won his second Super Bowl championship after 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 6, 2017}}

Coaching career

In 2018, Scruggs joined Luke Fickell's staff at the University of Cincinnati as the Director of Player Development.{{Cite web |last=Groeschen |first=Tom |date=July 10, 2018 |title=Cincinnati Bearcats: Former St. Xavier, NFL player Greg Scruggs joins UC football staff |url=https://www.cincinnati.com/story/sports/college/university-of-cincinnati/2018/07/10/cincinnati-bearcats-former-st-xavier-nfl-player-joins-football-staff/771015002/ |access-date=March 19, 2024 |website=Cincinnati Enquirer}} For the 2020 season, Scruggs was promoted to the defensive line coach for the Bearcats.{{cite tweet|last=Thamel|first=Pete |author-link=Pete Thamel |user=PeteThamel|number=1231939344736321547|date=February 24, 2020 |title=Source: Cincinnati is hiring Greg Scruggs as defensive line coach. He'd served as Luke Fickell's Director of Player Development at Cincinnati prior to the promotion. |link=https://twitter.com/PeteThamel/status/1231939344736321547|access-date=February 24, 2020}}

On March 3, 2022, it was reported that Scruggs accepted an assistant defensive line coach position with the New York Jets.{{Cite tweet |user=PeteThamel |author-link=Pete Thamel |number=1499144955742371842 |title=Sources: University of Cincinnati defensive line coach Greg Scruggs has accepted a job as an assistant defensive line coach with the New York Jets. He's a five-year NFL veteran who won two Super Bowls as a player.|link=https://twitter.com/PeteThamel/status/1499144955742371842}}

In 2023, Scruggs left the NFL to follow former Cincinnati head coach Fickell to coach the defensive line for the University of Wisconsin.

On March 6, 2024, Scruggs was officially hired by the University of Michigan to coach the defensive line. On March 21, Scruggs resigned following an operating surrounding ann intoxicated arrest that occurred on March 16. Scruggs did not coach a practice or game while with the Michigan Wolverines.{{cite web | last=Garcia | first=Tony | title=Michigan football DL coach Greg Scruggs resigns after recent OWI arrest | website=Detroit Free Press | date=2024-03-21 | url=https://www.freep.com/story/sports/college/university-michigan/wolverines/2024/03/21/michigan-football-greg-scruggs-resigns-owi-arrest-drunk-driving/73053272007/ | access-date=2025-03-26}}

On February 25, 2025, the San Francisco 49ers hired Scruggs to serve as the team's defensive line coach.{{Cite web|title=49ers Announce Coaching Staff Moves Ahead of 2025 Season|url=https://www.49ers.com/news/49ers-announce-coaching-staff-moves-ahead-of-2025-season|website=49ers.com|date=February 25, 2025|access-date=March 4, 2025}}

Personal life

Scruggs submitted the winning nomination of his high school coach, Steve Specht, for the 2013 Don Shula NFL High School Coach of the Year Award.{{cite news|title=St. Xavier's Steve Specht is NFL High School Coach of the Year|first=Joe|last=Reedy|work=The Cincinnati Enquirer|publisher=Gannett Company|date=January 30, 2013|access-date=February 1, 2013|url=http://news.cincinnati.com/article/AB/20130130/SPT030101/301300122/|quote=On Friday, head coach Steve Specht will be named the Don Shula NFL High School Coach of the Year. ... Specht ... was nominated for the award by rookie Seahawks defensive end Greg Scruggs.}}