Bears OC, Raiders DC will serve as Senior Bowl coaches

Bears OC, Raiders DC will serve as Senior Bowl coaches

Chicago Bears offensive coordinator Luke Getsy and Las Vegas Raiders defensive coordinator Patrick Graham will serve as head coaches for the 2023 Reese’s Senior Bowl, it was announced Wednesday.

Getsy will direct the American team, Graham the National in the annual college football all-star game and NFL draft showcase. The Senior Bowl takes place Feb. 4 at Mobile’s Hancock Whitney Stadium.

“Everyone at the Senior Bowl is excited about this new coaching format since it connects our players to half the league’s teams behind the scenes during the week,” Senior Bowl executive director Jim Nagy said. “Both Luke Getsy and Patrick Graham have tremendous reputations around the league and the young men in our game will undoubtedly leave Mobile as better football players after spending the week with these excellent staffs.”

For the first time, the Senior Bowl coaching staffs will consist of “all-star” assistant coaches, rather than full staffs as in the past. The Senior Bowl and Shrine Bowl will rotate full staffs and “all-star” staffs on a yearly basis, with the Shrine Bowl getting the full New England Patriots and Atlanta Falcons staffs this year.

Getsy, 38, recently completed his first full season as Bears offensive coordinator. Chicago has the first pick in April’s NFL draft.

Getsy will be joined on his American team staff by Atlanta Falcons offensive coordinator Charles London (who will serve as offensive coordinator) and New England Patriots defensive line coach DeMarcus Covington (defensive coordinator). Covington is a Birmingham native who played his high school football at John Carroll Catholic School and later starred at Samford.

“I am extremely honored to be selected as the head coach for the American Team in the 74th Senior Bowl,” Getsy said. “t is a privilege to be able to work alongside my peers from around the league and to be able to lead this special group of men that are the future of the NFL. Thank you to everyone at the Senior Bowl for this awesome opportunity and I look forward to a great week in Mobile.”

Graham, 43, completed his first season as Raiders defensive coordinator in 2022 after stints with the Miami Dolphins and New York Giants. Las Vegas has the No. 7 pick in April’s NFL draft.

New Orleans Saints quarterbacks coach/passing game coordinator Ronald Curry will serve as National team offensive coordinator, while Pittsburgh Steelers defensive backs coach Grady Brown serving as defensive coordinator. As with the American team, the remainder of the staff will be filled by assistant coaches whose teams did not make the playoffs.

“It is a true honor to be selected as head coach of the National Team for the Senior Bowl,” Graham said. “I look forward to meeting and working with these talented young players and getting to know them on an individual and collective basis during Senior Bowl festivities. To be able to evaluate and cultivate relationships with these young men as they begin their professional journeys is an invaluable experience and I sincerely thank Jim Nagy and the Senior Bowl for this tremendous opportunity.”

Senior Bowl festivities begin on Tuesday, Jan. 30, with practices and other events leading up to Saturday’s game. The Senior Bowl kicks off at 1:30 p.m. and will be televised by NFL Network.

For complete Senior Bowl rosters and ticket information, visit SeniorBowl.com.