JERRY ROSBURG
Special Teams Coordinator
College: North Dakota State
Years with Ravens: 1
Years in NFL: 8
Years in coaching: 28
HS: Fairmont (MN) HS
Born: 11/24/55 in Fairmont, MN
Jerry Rosburg joined the Baltimore Ravens as the team’s special teams coordinator on January 30, 2008. Rosburg, a 28-year coaching veteran, built a successful NFL special teams resume both with the Cleveland Browns (2001-06) and Atlanta Falcons (2007) following a strong collegiate coaching career.
In his brief stay in Atlanta, Rosburg led the Falcons special teams units to a number of top 10 rankings. His kickoff team finished 2nd in the NFL in opponents average starting field position (25.5), and the Falcons’ kickoff return team was 6th in the league in KOR average (24.4). Punter Michael Koenen finished 6th in net punting average (38.8), and Atlanta’s special teams allowed opponents an average of only 7.5 yards per punt return, good for 8th in the NFL.
Under his leadership, the Cleveland Browns’ special teams units were consistently ranked among the NFL’s best. Over a 5-year span (2002-06), the Browns’ special teams were ranked as the top NFL team in average ranking in the comprehensive annual special teams report created by Rick Gosselin of The Dallas Morning News. (Gosselin’s report is recognized by NFL teams as the special teams measuring stick.)
In 2006, the Browns were ranked 5th in the NFL in Gosselin’s poll. Rosburg guided Cleveland punt return standout Dennis Northcutt, who finished 4th with an 11.1 punt return average. Kickoff returner Joshua Cribbs set a Cleveland team record for most KOR yards in franchise history with 1,494, an effort that earned him the Browns’ team MVP. Rosburg led the only NFL team to finish the season in the top 5 both in starting field position on kickoffs (31.4 – 2nd in NFL) and opponent starting position (25.3 – 4th in NFL).
A year before (2005), Cleveland led the league in special teams scoring, becoming the only team to score a special teams touchdown 3 different ways: off a punt return, off a kickoff return and off a blocked field goal attempt. Northcutt ranked 4th in the league in punt return average (10.1), while K Phil Dawson ranked 2nd in field goal accuracy (27-of-29, .930). In his annual poll, Gosselin ranked the Browns 6th best for the 2nd-straight year. Rosburg led the Browns to a 4th-place ranking by Gosselin in his 2nd year in Cleveland (2002).
In his 6 years with the Browns, Rosburg’s special teams ranked 4th in punt return average (10.3) and 6th in opponent kickoff return average (20.8). He was instrumental in developing the successful special teams career of Northcutt, helping him set Browns team records for career punt returns (174) and career punt return yardage (1,837). Dawson, under Rosburg’s guidance, became one of the NFL’s most accurate kickers. He kicked a Browns’ team-record 27 consecutive field goals from 2003-04 and holds the highest field goal percentage in club history (.827). Former Ravens P Dave Zastudil finished 6th in the NFL in net punting average (38.4) and 6th with 28 punts inside the 20 in his 1st year under Rosburg (2006).
Prior to making the jump to the NFL coaching ranks, Rosburg was Notre Dame’s cornerback/special teams coach for 2 seasons (1999-2000). In his 2nd season in South Bend, the Fighting Irish played in the Fiesta Bowl after a Bowl Championship Series berth.
Rosburg and Ravens head coach John Harbaugh coached together at the University of Cincinnati, sharing special teams duties over the course of 4 years. Rosburg also coached the Bearcats’ linebackers (1992-94), which included former Ravens LB Brad Jackson, and secondary (1995) in his years with Harbaugh.
After 4 years at Cincinnati, Rosburg served 1 season as the University of Minnesota’s secondary coach (1996) and then moved on to Boston College as the Golden Eagles’ secondary coach (1997-98).
The Fairmont, Minnesota native’s collegiate coaching career began in a graduate assistant role at Northern Michigan University from 1981-82, and while there, Rosburg earned his master’s degree in education administration in 1983. On the field, he helped the school earn Division II playoff appearances each season. His status was elevated to full-time coach, and he was then named defensive coordinator and secondary coach in 1986. Rosburg moved on to Western Michigan in 1987, a year after Harbaugh departed the school, and coached linebackers and special teams for the Broncos until 1991. The team won 9 games in 1988 and earned a California Bowl appearance.
Rosburg’s first blush at coaching came as an assistant coach at Fargo (ND) Shanley HS from 1979-80 before entering the collegiate ranks.
The All-America linebacker at North Dakota State earned his bachelor’s degree in social science education in 1978. Born Nov. 24, 1955, in Fairmont, MN, Jerry and his wife, Sherry, have 2 daughters, Megan and Margaret, and a son, Jerad.
