Mike Caldwell (linebacker)

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

{{Infobox NFL biography

| name = Mike Caldwell

| image =

| image_size =

| alt =

| caption =

| current_team = Tampa Bay Buccaneers

| position = Linebackers coach

| number =

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1971|8|31|mf=y}}

| birth_place = Oak Ridge, Tennessee, U.S.

| death_date =

| death_place =

| height_ft = 6

| height_in = 2

| weight_lbs = 235

| high_school = Oak Ridge

| college = Middle Tennessee State

| draftyear = 1993

| draftround = 3

| draftpick = 83

| pastteams =

Cleveland Browns ({{nfly|1993}}–{{nfly|1995}})
Baltimore Ravens ({{nfly|1996}})
Arizona Cardinals ({{nfly|1997}})
Philadelphia Eagles ({{nfly|1998}}–{{nfly|2001}})
Chicago Bears ({{nfly|2002}})
Carolina Panthers ({{nfly|2003}})

| pastcoaching =

Philadelphia Eagles ({{nfly|2008}}–{{nfly|2009}})
Defensive quality control coach
Philadelphia Eagles ({{nfly|2010}})
Assistant linebackers coach
Philadelphia Eagles ({{nfly|2011}}–{{nfly|2012}})
Linebackers coach
Arizona Cardinals ({{nfly|2013}}–{{nfly|2014}})
Inside linebackers coach
New York Jets ({{nfly|2015}}–{{nfly|2018}})
Assistant head coach & inside linebackers coach
Tampa Bay Buccaneers ({{nfly|2019}}–{{nfly|2021}})
Inside linebackers coach
Jacksonville Jaguars ({{nfly|2022}}–{{nfly|2023}})
Defensive coordinator
Las Vegas Raiders ({{nfly|2024}})
Linebackers coach & run game coordinator
Tampa Bay Buccaneers ({{nfly|2025}}–present)
Linebackers coach

| highlights = ;As coach

Super Bowl champion (LV)

| statleague = NFL

| statlabel1 = Games played

| statvalue1 = 159

| statlabel2 = Games started

| statvalue2 = 49

| statlabel3 = Total tackles

| statvalue3 = 562

| statlabel4 = Sacks

| statvalue4 = 14.5

| statlabel5 = Forced fumbles

| statvalue5 = 6

| statlabel6 = Interceptions

| statvalue6 = 8

| statlabel7 = Defensive touchdowns

| statvalue7 = 3

| regular_record =

| playoff_record =

| overall_record =

| pfrcoach = CaldMi0

}}

Isaiah "Mike" Caldwell, Jr. (born August 31, 1971) is an American football coach who is the current linebackers coach for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League (NFL). He previously served as the defensive coordinator for the Jacksonville Jaguars from 2022 to 2023.

Caldwell played college football as a linebacker at Middle Tennessee State University and was drafted in the third round by the Cleveland Browns in the 1993 NFL draft.{{Cite web |title=1993 NFL Draft Listing |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/1993/draft.htm |access-date=March 31, 2023 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}} Caldwell played 11 seasons in the NFL with the Browns, Baltimore Ravens, Arizona Cardinals, Philadelphia Eagles, Chicago Bears and Carolina Panthers.

Caldwell began his professional coaching career with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2008. He previously served as the linebackers coach for the Arizona Cardinals, and was the assistant head coach and inside linebackers coach for the New York Jets from 2015 to 2018. He served as the linebackers coach for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 2019 to 2021 before being hired as the defensive coordinator for the Jacksonville Jaguars. He then served as the run game coordinator and linebackers coach for the Las Vegas Raiders in 2024 before returning to the Buccaneers.

Playing career

=College=

Mike Caldwell finished his career with 52 games played and 7 forced fumbles.{{Citation |last= |first= |title=Middle Tennessee Football 2014 Media Guide |date=2014 |url=https://goblueraiders.com/documents/2014/8/18/2014_Football_Fact_Book.pdf |access-date= |publisher= |last2= |first2= |author-link= }}. In 1992, he led the team with 76 tackles (47 solo, 29 assists). He was also a 3rd team All-American that year and 1st team Ohio Valley Conference selection.

=National Football League=

Caldwell made an immediate impact for the Cleveland Browns as a rookie under Bill Belichick and Nick Saban. He would finish with 42, 40, and 70 tackles from 1993 to 1995 with 3 interceptions. After 1 year with the Baltimore Ravens (54 Tackles, 4.5 Sacks, 1 INT) he signed with the Arizona Cardinals in 1997 and had 29 tackles with 2 Sacks and 1 INT.

From 1998 to 2001 he played with the Philadelphia Eagles accumulating 221 tackles with 5 Sacks and 3 INT. In 2002, he went to the Chicago Bears where he had 61 tackles and 3 Sacks before closing out his career with the Carolina Panthers, appearing in just 9 games.

Coaching career

=Philadelphia Eagles=

Caldwell was hired by the Philadelphia Eagles as the defensive quality control coach in 2008. He was promoted to assistant linebackers coach on February 3, 2010.{{cite web |author=Spadaro, Dave |title=More Moves On Coaching Staff |url=http://www.philadelphiaeagles.com/news/Story.asp?story_id=20207 |publisher=Philadelphiaeagles.com |date=February 3, 2010 |accessdate=February 3, 2010 }}{{Dead link|date=April 2020 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} He was promoted to linebackers coach on February 7, 2011.{{Cite web |date=February 7, 2011 |title=Eagles Elevate Mike Caldwell And Mike Zordich |url=https://www.bleedinggreennation.com/2011/2/7/1980557/eagles-elevate-mike-caldwell-and-mike-zordich |access-date=November 18, 2023 |website=Bleeding Green Nation |language=en}}

=New York Jets=

Caldwell was hired as assistant head coach and inside linebackers coach by the New York Jets on January 23, 2015.{{cite web|title=Bowles, Jets Name Eight Position Coaches |url=http://www.newyorkjets.com/news/article-9/Bowles-Jets-Name-Eight-Position-Coaches/d03252eb-0257-474d-9d9d-31b10f0b3448 |publisher=New York Jets |author=Lange, Randy |date=January 23, 2015 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150125225319/http://www.newyorkjets.com/news/article-9/Bowles-Jets-Name-Eight-Position-Coaches/d03252eb-0257-474d-9d9d-31b10f0b3448 |archivedate=January 25, 2015 |accessdate=January 24, 2015 |url-status=dead }}

=Tampa Bay Buccaneers=

In 2019, Caldwell rejoined the staff of former Arizona Cardinals head coach Bruce Arians alongside former defensive coordinator Todd Bowles. Caldwell earned his first Super Bowl title when the Buccaneers won Super Bowl LV.{{Cite web |title=Super Bowl LV - Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. Kansas City Chiefs - February 7th, 2021 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/202102070tam.htm |access-date=February 19, 2023 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}

=Jacksonville Jaguars=

On February 17, 2022, Caldwell was hired by the Jacksonville Jaguars as their defensive coordinator under head coach Doug Pederson.{{Cite web|title=Jaguars Finalize 2022 Coaching Staff|url=https://www.jaguars.com/news/jaguars-finalize-2022-coaching-staff|publisher=Jacksonville Jaguars|date=February 17, 2022|access-date=February 17, 2022}} On January 8, 2024, Caldwell and the entire Jaguars defensive staff were fired.{{Cite web |title=Jaguars fire defensive coordinator Mike Caldwell, his staff after two seasons |url=https://www.nfl.com/news/jaguars-fire-defensive-coordinator-mike-caldwell-his-staff-after-two-seasons |access-date=January 9, 2024 |website=NFL.com |language=en-US}}

=Las Vegas Raiders=

On February 23, 2024, Caldwell was hired by the Las Vegas Raiders as their linebackers coach and run game coordinator under head coach Antonio Pierce.{{cite web|title=Raiders announce 2024 coaching staff|url=https://www.raiders.com/news/raiders-announce-2024-coaching-staff-additions-antonio-pierce-nfl-offseason|publisher=Las Vegas Raiders|date=February 23, 2024|access-date=February 23, 2024}} On January 30, 2025, it was announced that Caldwell was not retained by the Raiders' new general manager John Spytek and head coach Pete Carroll.{{Cite web|title=Ex-Auburn RB, assistant coach Cadillac Williams among Las Vegas Raiders coaches dismissed amid staff changes|url=https://247sports.com/article/ex-auburn-rb-assistant-coach-cadillac-williams-among-las-vegas-raiders-coaches-dismissed-amid-staff-changes-245213180/amp/|access-date=February 4, 2025|website=247sports.com|language=en}}

Personal life

His niece, Nikki Caldwell, is president of the Las Vegas Aces of the WNBA. His son Simeon is a 4 star S/LB recruit

References

External links

[https://www.raiders.com/team/coaches-roster/mike-caldwell Las Vegas Raiders profile]
[http://www.philadelphiaeagles.com/team/coaches/mike-caldwell/25b6197f-7b00-4799-a24e-06df6757d298 Philadelphia Eagles profile] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110821050027/http://www.philadelphiaeagles.com/team/coaches/mike-caldwell/25b6197f-7b00-4799-a24e-06df6757d298 |date=August 21, 2011 }}

Category:1971 births

Category:Living people

Category:African-American coaches of American football

Category:American football linebackers

Category:Arizona Cardinals coaches

Category:Arizona Cardinals players

Category:Baltimore Ravens players

Category:Carolina Panthers players

Category:Chicago Bears players

Category:Cleveland Browns players

Category:Coaches of American football from Tennessee

Category:Jacksonville Jaguars coaches