2010 MEDIA GUIDE - Seahawks Online Media Packet

46 ASSISTANT COACHES
Named to his current position February 4,
2010, Gray joins the Seahawks after serving in
the same capacity for the Washington
Redskins for four seasons. Gray has amassed
more than two decades of NFL experience:
nine seasons as a player and 13 as an assistant
coach.
In 2008, the Redskins’ secondary was led by
veterans Carlos Rogers, Fred Smoot, and
Shawn Springs, with the midseason addition
of DeAngelo Hall. Rogers had a team-high 32
passes defensed with two interceptions and
53 tackles. Hall finished the season with two
interceptions in just seven games as a
Redskin, and had assumed a starting cornerback
position by season's end.
In 2007, the Redskins’ secondary was
diminished by the loss of young starting cornerback
Rogers to injured reserve following
Week 8, but still managed to hold opponents
to 214.0 passing yards per game. Springs and
Smoot combined for 129 tackles (114 solo),
five interceptions and 29 passes defensed.
He spent five years in Buffalo as the Bills
defensive coordinator from 2001-05. In 2004,
Gray led a defense that finished second in the
NFL in total defense and top five in the NFL in
touchdowns allowed (29), yards allowed per
game (264.2), passing yards allowed per game
(164.0), sacks registered (45) and led the
league with 39 turnovers forced.
He orchestrated a major defensive turnaround
in 2003 when his unit finished the year
ranked second in the NFL in total defense (second
against the pass, eighth against the run).
His defense also ranked fifth overall in points
allowed in 2003.
Prior to joining the Bills in 2001, Gray spent
the previous four seasons as an assistant with
the Tennessee Titans, including the last two as
defensive backs coach. He helped Tennessee
finish as the NFL’s No. 1-ranked pass defense
and total defense in 2000, and also guided CB
Samari Rolle and S Blaine Bishop to All-Pro
selections.
Gray originally started with the Titans as
the defensive assistant/quality control coach
in 1997 before being elevated to the defensive
backs position. He broke into the coaching
SEAHAWKS EXPERIENCE: 1st YEAR
NFL EXPERIENCE: 14th YEAR
ranks in 1995 as the defensive backs coach at
Southern Methodist.
He played nine seasons in the NFL, earning
All-Pro honors four times. He played with the
Los Angeles Rams (1985-91), Houston Oilers
(1992), and Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1993)
before retiring.
He was a four-time Pro Bowler at cornerback
(1986-89) with the Rams, finishing with 28
career interceptions during his nine seasons in
the NFL. He posted a season-high eight interceptions
in 1986, just his second year in the
NFL. He was also named the NFL’s Defensive
Back of the Year in 1989 and earned MVP honors
in the 1990 Pro Bowl.
A native of Lubbock, Texas, Gray holds a
bachelor of science degree in speech communications
from the University of Texas. He was
a two-time consensus All-American and twotime
Southwest Conference Defensive Player
of the Year as a safety at Texas in 1983 and 1984
and was a first-round pick in 1985 (21st overall)
of the Los Angeles Rams.
Gray was a member of the University of
Texas’ All-Time Team and All-Decade Team for
the 1980’s. He lettered in football, basketball
and track at Estacado High in Lubbock and was
inducted into the Texas High School Hall of
Fame in 1995 and recently named to the All-
Time Texas High School team.
Born on December 16, 1962, he and his
wife, Sherry, have two sons, Jeremy and
Jayden.
GRAY’S COACHING CAREER
1997-98 Tennessee Titans
Defensive Assistant/Quality Control
1999-00 Tennessee Titans
Defensive Backs
2001-05 Buffalo Bills
Defensive Coordinator
2006-09 Washington Redskins
Secondary
2010- Seattle Seahawks
Defensive Backs