mark murphy - NFL.com

COACHING STAFF / DARREN PERRYDARREN PERRYSECONDARY - SAFETIESNinth Season as NFL CoachSecond Packers SeasonVETERANS COACHES COMMUNITYLAMBEAU RECORDS &DRAFT &MISC. FIELD HISTORY 2009 REVIEW FREE AGENTSDarren Perry begins his secondseason with the Packers in2010 as secondary – safetiescoach, his ninth season coachingin the NFL.Named to his position by Head Coach Mike McCarthyon Feb. 3, 2009, Perry has coached defensive backs in theNFL for the past eight years and has tutored a Pro Bowlplayer in five of the last six seasons.In 2009, free safety Nick Collins was selected to the ProBowl for the second straight season and also earned second-teamAll-Pro honors from The Associated Press afterfinishing third among NFL safeties with six interceptions.Strong safety Atari Bigby picked off four passes in ’09 despitemissing three games due to injury, giving the Packerstheir first safety tandem with four-plus interceptions eachsince 2002 (Darren Sharper, Marques Anderson).Collins and Bigby were part of a secondary that helpedthe Packers lead the NFL in both takeaways (40) and interceptions(30), the first time that Green Bay led the leaguein interceptions since 1965. Perry was a member of a staffthat guided the Packers defense to a No. 2 overall rankingin the league, the highest ranking since the ’96 teamfinished as the No. 1 defense.Perry came to Green Bay from Oakland, where hecoached the Raiders’ defensive backs for two seasons(2007-08). Cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha earned his secondPro Bowl selection and All-Pro honors from The AssociatedPress under Perry’s tutelage, as the Raiders rankedin the top 10 each of those years in passing yards allowed.In 2008, Oakland allowed opponents to complete only 56.5percent of their passes, tied for fourth best in the league.Perry spent the previous four seasons coaching defensivebacks in Pittsburgh under Bill Cowher, the teamand coach for whom he played the majority of his career.Perry was the Steelers’ assistant defensive backs coachin 2003 and was promoted to defensive backs coach in2004, when the Steelers finished fourth in the league inboth passing yards allowed (177.2 per game) and opponents’completion percentage (55.6). In 2005, Pittsburghwon Super Bowl XL.Perry was credited for helping the rapid developmentof Pittsburgh safety Troy Polamalu, who earned the first offive straight Pro Bowl selections in 2004, just his secondseason. The versatile Polamalu also was an AP All-Pro picktwice (2004, 2005) with Perry as his position coach.Perry broke into the NFL coaching ranks in 2002,coaching safeties for the Cincinnati Bengals under headcoach Dick LeBeau, one of the most respected defensiveminds in the game who also coached defensive backs forthe Packers for four seasons (1976-79).Drafted by the Steelers in the eighth round (203rd overall)of the 1992 NFL Draft – the team’s first draft underCowher – Perry became an immediate starter at free safetyfor current Packers defensive coordinator Dom Capers.Paired with Pro Bowler Rod Woodson much of his timethere, Perry played seven seasons in Pittsburgh (1992-98)and started the first 110 games of his career, includingpostseason. He missed only two of a possible 123 gameswith the Steelers, both in 1998 due to a groin injury.Perry was the Steelers’ starting free safety in SuperDarren Perry at a glance…►►Joined Packers Feb. 3, 2009.►►Enters his 18th season in the NFL, his ninth as a coach.►►Has tutored a Pro Bowl player in five of his last six seasonsas a coach.►►Enjoyed a nine-year NFL career as a safety and was a starterfor Pittsburgh in Super Bowl XXX.►►Has previously coached for three NFL teams – Cincinnati,Pittsburgh and Oakland – and was on the staff of theSteelers’ Super Bowl XL championship team.►►Had 15 career interceptions, returning three for touchdowns,in college at Penn State.COACHING BACKGROUNDYears College/Pro Team Position Coached2002 Cincinnati Bengals ....................Safeties2003-06 Pittsburgh Steelers . . . . . . . . . . . . Defensive Backs2007-08 Oakland Raiders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Defensive Backs2009-10 Green Bay Packers. . . . . . . . . . . Secondary/SafetiesBowl XXX and posted 32 career interceptions, tied forseventh in team history. His seven interceptions in 1994marked his career high.Perry went on to sign with the San Diego Chargers in1999 but did not play due to a neck injury, and he concludedhis playing career as the starting free safety for theNew Orleans Saints in 2000, McCarthy’s first season as theoffensive coordinator there. Playing in all 16 games plustwo postseason contests, he had three interceptions thatseason, giving him 35 for his career.A standout in college at Penn State, Perry intercepted15 passes in his career, tying him for second in school history.He returned three interceptions for touchdowns andcompiled 299 return yards, both school records. As a juniorin 1990, Perry intercepted seven passes and returnedone for a TD. His senior year, he had six interceptions andtwo scores.Perry was an all-district and second-team all-state selectionat quarterback for Deep Creek (Va.) High, where hethrew for 2,790 yards and 23 touchdowns in his career,and rushed for 1,167 yards and 14 scores. He was a teamcaptain for the football, basketball and tennis teams.Born Dec. 29, 1968, in Norfolk, Va., Perry lives in GreenBay with his wife, Errika, and their four children: Danielle,Dominique, Dedriana, and Devan. He also enjoys playinggolf and bass guitar, and he is on the board of directors ofthe Chesapeake Care Free Clinic in Virginia, which provideshealth care to individuals without insurance or the necessaryresources. Through the clinic, Perry sponsors theIntercept for Care program, which raises donations basedon the number of interceptions recorded by Perry’s teamin a given season.46