Senior Bowl Info & Coaching Staff Update

Senior Bowl

Just a reminder, JetNation will be at the Senior Bowl again this year. Dylan Tereman will be live on the scene all week long. He will be reporting on the action and covering it live on the air on JetNation Radio.

Some additional information on the Senior Bowl as the coaching staffs are formed.

Browns Assistant Head Coach/ST Coordinator Ventrone and Giants Offensive Coordinator Kafka to Coach Senior Bowl

Coaches from teams selecting Nos. 2 and 3 in 2025 NFL Draft to lead teams for top pre-draft event

MOBILE, Alabama – The Reese’s Senior Bowl today announced that Cleveland Browns Assistant Head Coach and Special Teams Coordinator Bubba Ventrone (American team) and New York Giants Offensive Coordinator Mike Kafka (National team) will serve as head coaches for the 76 ^th Reese’s Senior Bowl to be played on Saturday February 1, 2025, at Hancock Whitney Stadium on the campus of the University of South Alabama.  All three days of practice will be televised on both NFL Network and ESPN and the game itself will be aired live on the NFL Network at 1:30 CT (local time).  The Browns have the second overall pick, and the Giants own the third selection in the 2025 NFL draft.

This is the third year the Senior Bowl is implementing a “Coach Up” format where coordinators and assistant coaches are placed into elevated or different roles from the ones they currently hold with their respective clubs.  Head coaches and general managers from all non-playoff teams and Wild Card round participants had the opportunity to nominate assistant coaches and those candidates were then selected by a group comprised of league office executives and representatives from the General Managers Advisory Committee.  In total, at least one coach from 13 different teams that submitted nominations was chosen for this year’s game.

In addition to the head coach appointees, the following individuals were selected as coordinators for the American and National squads:

American

Offensive Coordinator                      New York Giants Running Backs Coach Joel Thomas

Defensive Coordinator                      Indianapolis Colts Senior Assistant DL Coach Matt Raich

Special Teams Coordinator             San Francisco 49ers Special Teams Quality Control Coach August Mangin

National

Offensive Coordinator                      Green Bay Packers Pass Game Coordinator Jason Vrable

Defensive Coordinator                      Cleveland Browns Defensive Line Coach Jacques Cesaire

Special Teams Coordinator             Tennessee Titans Coaching Assistant Perry Carter

The Reese’s Senior Bowl is coming off four consecutive drafts with at least 100 players selected, which has represented over 40 percent of the entire past four draft classes.  Last year’s game featured a record 110 drafted players, including 10 first-rounders and 45 of top 100 picks.

Recent Senior Bowl alums

QB Justin Herbert (Chargers), WR Cooper Kupp (Rams), WR Brandon Aiyuk (49ers), QB Jalen Hurts (Eagles), OLB Jonathan Greenard (Vikings), WR Terry McLaurin (Commanders), OL Chris Lindstrom (Falcons), QB Jordan Love (Packers), WR Deebo Samuel (49ers), OL Elgton Jenkins (Packers), RB Tony Pollard (Titans), WR Khalil Shakir (Bills), DL Montez Sweat (Bears), OL Landon Dickerson (Eagles), RB Najee Harris (Steelers), WR Nico Collins

(Texans), WR Devonta Smith (Eagles), OL Creed Humphrey (Chiefs), OG Trey Smith (Chiefs), DS Kerby Joseph (Lions), DS Jalen Pitre (Texans), LB Terrel Bernard (Bills), TE Trey McBride (Cardinals), WR Puka Nacua (Rams), RB Chase Brown (Bengals), LB Daiyan Henley (Chargers), WR Rashee Rice (Chiefs), WR Tank Dell (Texans), OLB Byron Young (Rams), DE YaYa Diaby (Buccaneers), DL Keeanu Benton (Steelers), LB Ivan Pace Jr. (Vikings), WR Jayden Reed (Packers), Braden Fiske (Rams), Bo Nix (Broncos), Michael Penix Jr. (Falcons), Quinyon Mitchell (Eagles), Dominick Puni (49ers), and WR Ladd McConkey (Chargers).

Statement from Reese’s Senior Bowl Executive Director Jim Nagy:

“We’re excited to be getting two outstanding coaches with such great reputations leading our teams this year.  I was part of the Patriots scouting staff that drafted Bubba Ventrone back in 2005 so I know how smart and competitive he is.  Mike Kafka has already had numerous head coaching interviews over the past couple hiring cycles and many people I’ve talked to around the league believe it’s only a matter time before he gets one of those jobs.  Our players will leave Mobile as better players than when they arrived after spending the week with these two men and their respective staffs.”

Statement from Cleveland Browns Assistant Head Coach/Special Team Coordinator Bubba Ventrone:

“It’s truly an honor to be a part of the premiere college all-star game and I am beyond excited to have the opportunity to coach this extraordinary group of seniors.  I watched the Senior Bowl Roster Reveal show on NFL Network this morning and I couldn’t believe how many great prospects were committed to the game.  My staff and I will have these guys ready to roll!”

Statement from Cleveland Browns Head Coach Kevin Stefanski on Bubba Ventrone:

“Bubba is an incredible coach who has immediate credibility with his players due to his decorated playing career.  As the special teams coordinator, he does an outstanding job coaching all of the players on our roster in the special teams phases.  He’s a master motivator and he gets the most out of every player.  He will do a great job leading the American squad in this year’s Senior Bowl.”

Statement from New York Giants Offensive Coordinator Mike Kafka:

“It’s an honor to be selected as one of the head coaches for the Senior Bowl!  I look forward to getting to know some of the best college athletes in the country both on and off the field, as well as getting to work with a variety of talented coaches from around the NFL.”

Statement from New York Giants Head Coach Brian Daboll on Mike Kafka:

“Mike deserves the opportunity he has as one of the head coaches in this year’s Senior Bowl. His experience as a player and coach is invaluable to these young men who will soon be professional players. He is an exceptional coach and teacher and will serve as a resource for everyone involved throughout the week.”

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Source: https://www.jetnation.com/2025/01/15/senior-bowl-info-coaching-staff-update/