Ryan Slowik

Coaching Record

Years Coached Record Win % Playoff record Playoff win %
16 129-120-0 51.81% 3-6 33.33%

Biography

Career Summary

Ryan Slowik is a football coach in the National Football League (NFL) and has been the defensive backs coach/defensive pass game specialist for the Miami Dolphins since 2024. Before moving into this role on the Dolphins he held three other positions with the team. His previous position was as the team's outside linebackers coach for one season. He began his stint with the Dolphins in 2022 as the senior defensive assistant coach.

Table of Contents

Playing Career

Slowik started his collegiate playing career for Youngstown State as a defensive back before transferring to the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh in 2002. During his two seasons for the Titans, Slowik earned varsity letters playing strong safety. However, the team struggled during his time as a player, winning only eight of their twenty games. After graduation, he joined the team's coaching staff.

UW-Oshkosh Coaching Career

In 2004, Slowik remained with the Titans as assistant secondary coach. While the team would win more games (5) than the previous two seasons combined, they still finished 8th in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC). However, the secondary more than doubled the number of interceptions from the previous season. After his only season coaching college, Slowik moved to the NFL.

Professional Football

Denver Broncos

In 2005, Slowik joined the Denver Broncos coaching staff as a defensive assistant working closely with the defensive backs. In his first season, the Broncos had their best showing since their Super Bowl victory in 1998, going 13-3 and losing to that year’s Super Bowl champion Pittsburgh Steelers in the AFC Championship. During Slowik’s second season, cornerback Champ Bailey was the league's runner-up for Defensive Player of the Year after leading the league in takeaways (11). In 2007, Slowik moved away from defense and held the role of special teams assistant coach, working with Scott O'Brien. While the special teams excelled behind kicker Jason Elam's four walk-off field goals (the most since the AFL/NFL merger), the team as a whole struggled to a 7-9 finish, their worst since 1999. In 2008, Slowik returned to the defensive side of the ball as assistant defensive backs coach. After yet another poor season, the Broncos fired head coach Mike Shanahan and Slowik moved on to coaching with the Arizona Cardinals.

Arizona Cardinals

In 2009, Slowik joined the Cardinals as defensive quality coach working closely with the linebackers. After serving three seasons in this role, he was promoted to the team's outside linebackers coach in 2012. After one season, he returned to coaching the defensive backfield as the assistant defensive backs coach. His time with the Cardinals secondary coincided with the team having a top-five defense and consistently being towards the top in the league in takeaways. They also had two playoff appearances in six seasons for the first time since the '70s.

New York Jets

After the 2014 season, Slowik followed Todd Bowles to the New York Jets as the assistant defensive line coach. Slowik helped coach the Jets defensive line to a stellar season. The team finished 2nd in rushing yards allowed with the third lowest yards per carry in the league, and defensive end Muhammad Wilkerson was named to his first Pro Bowl at the conclusion of the 2015 season.

Cleveland Browns

After a single season in New York, Slowik was hired as the Cleveland Browns’ outside linebackers coach. The team finished 1-15 in Slowik’s only season with the Browns before he returned to coaching college football.

Return to Amateur Football

After his NFL career, Slowik spent the 2017 and 2018 seasons back in amateur football. He spent the 2017 season with the Tennessee Volunteers as the team’s defensive analyst and the 2018 season as an assistant coach for the Webb School of Knoxville.

History

Year Position Record Playoff record
2024 Miami Dolphins Defensive Backs Coach / Defensive Pass Game Specialist 2-5-0 0-0
2023 Miami Dolphins Outside Linebackers Coach 11-6-0 0-1
2022 Miami Dolphins Senior Defensive Assistant Coach 9-8-0 0-1
2016 Cleveland Browns Outside Linebackers Coach 1-15-0 0-0
2015 New York Jets Assistant Defensive Line Coach 10-6-0 0-0
2014 Arizona Cardinals Defensive Backs Coach / Defensive Assistant Coach 11-5-0 0-1
2013 Arizona Cardinals Defensive Backs Coach / Defensive Assistant Coach 10-6-0 0-0
2012 Arizona Cardinals Outside Linebackers Coach / Defensive Quality Control Coach 5-11-0 0-0
2011 Arizona Cardinals Outside Linebackers Coach / Defensive Quality Control Coach 8-8-0 0-0
2010 Arizona Cardinals Outside Linebackers Coach / Defensive Quality Control Coach 5-11-0 0-0
2009 Arizona Cardinals Outside Linebackers Coach / Defensive Quality Control Coach 10-6-0 1-1
2008 Denver Broncos Assistant Defensive Backs (Secondary) Coach 8-8-0 0-0
2007 Denver Broncos Special Teams Assistant Coach 7-9-0 0-0
2006 Denver Broncos Defensive Assistant Coach 9-7-0 0-0
2005 Denver Broncos Defensive Assistant Coach 13-3-0 1-1
2003 Green Bay Packers Personnel Intern 10-6-0 1-1

Coach history guide

Seasons with a championship win Seasons with a conference championship

Coach facts

Ryan Slowik is the son of long-time NFL Assistant Bob Slowik and they worked together during Ryan's time with the Broncos.