Rick Dennison

Coaching Record

Years Coached Record Win % Playoff record Playoff win %
26 236-179-0 56.87% 15-10 60.00%

Biography

Career Summary

Rick Dennison was a football coach in the National Football League (NFL) from 1995 to 2020, finishing his career as the offensive run game coordinator/offensive line coach of the Minnesota Vikings. Over his twenty-six years of coaching his teams compiled a cumulative win/loss record of 237-179-0. Dennison will be the new offensive line coach and run game coordinator for the New Orleans Saints for the 2024 season.

Personal Information

Dennison was born on Sunday, June 22, 1958 in Kalispell, Montana.

Table of Contents

Playing Career

Colorado State University

Before the NFL, Rick Dennison was a football letterman for the Colorado State University Rams on the years 1976, 1978 and 1979. Because of his commitment to not only his academics and his athletics he received the Merrill-Gheen Award as the most outstanding male college athlete in his entire university. After graduating with both his Bachelor’s (1980) and Master’s (1982) degrees, he was drafted by the Denver Broncos.

Denver Broncos

Being drafted by the Denver Broncos in 1982, he became the team’s newest linebacker. This is also where he met his now longtime friend Gary Kubiak who was drafted in a year after him. During his time in the NFL, he played 128 games; totaled 514 tackles, 6.5 sacks, 4 interceptions, 10 passes defended, 6 forced fumbles, and 3 fumble recoveries. He played for eight years and ended his pro career in 1990.

Coaching Career

Suffield Academy

After his career ended in 1990 he decided to take some time off, until he got his first coaching job for football. Suffield Academy hired him on as their assistant coach for three years, until he moved back to Colorado to be reunited with the Broncos once more.

Denver Broncos

Rick entered the Broncos coaches’ circle as an offensive assistant in 1995 working under Kubiak. He left the offensive assistant position for the Special Teams Coach from 1997 through 2000. During the 1997 and ’98 seasons he helped coach the Broncos to back to back Super Bowl wins. After the 2000 season, Dennison switched to become the offensive line coach from 2001 through 2005. When Kubiak left the Broncos to take over the Head Coaching position for the Houston Texans, Dennison was promoted to offensive coordinator for three seasons. However, he returned to the offensive line coach position again in 2009 before heading off to the Houston Texans.

Houston Texans

In January of 2010 he left the Broncos to join his longtime friend Kubiak on the Houston Texans as their offensive coordinator. During this stint with the Texans he paved the way for three of the best rushing seasons in all of the franchise’s history; an NFL-best 26 individual 100-yard rushing performances; second place in the NFL for rushing touchdowns at 62 and averaged 137.8 rushing yards per game. Twenty-four of those performances were by none other than Arian Foster who was named All-Pro three different times by the Associated Press. In 2012 the Texans finished with a franchise best of 12-4, headed to the AFC Divisional Playoffs and sent 11 different starters to the Pro Bowl. He would leave the Texans after the 2013 season.

Baltimore Ravens Beginning in 2014 for one season, he did a stint as the Quarterbacks Coach for the Baltimore Ravens with Kubiak as Offensive Coordinator. During this year with the Ravens he guided Joe Flacco to a career high of passing yards (3,986) and touchdown passes (27).

Denver Broncos

After his coaching for other teams, Gary Kubiak was picked up as the Broncos new head coach in 2015 and subsequently got Dennison back as his offensive coordinator, keeping the duo together. Dennison is suited best for the position as he knows the zone-blocking, play-action offensive system Kubiak prefers better than anyone.

History

Year Position Record Playoff record
2020 Minnesota Vikings Offensive Run Game Coordinator / Offensive Line Coach 7-9-0 0-0
2019 Minnesota Vikings Offensive Run Game Coordinator / Offensive Line Coach 10-6-0 1-1
2018 New York Jets Offensive Run Game Coordinator / Offensive Line Coach 4-12-0 0-0
2017 Buffalo Bills Offensive Coordinator 8-7-0 0-1
2016 Denver Broncos Offensive Coordinator 9-7-0 0-0
2015 Denver Broncos Offensive Coordinator 12-4-0 3-0
2014 Baltimore Ravens Quarterbacks Coach 10-6-0 1-1
2013 Houston Texans Offensive Coordinator 2-14-0 0-0
2012 Houston Texans Offensive Coordinator 12-4-0 1-1
2011 Houston Texans Offensive Coordinator 10-6-0 1-1
2010 Houston Texans Offensive Coordinator 6-10-0 0-0
2009 Denver Broncos Offensive Line Coach 8-8-0 0-0
2008 Denver Broncos Offensive Coordinator / Offensive Line Coach 8-8-0 0-0
2007 Denver Broncos Offensive Coordinator / Offensive Line Coach 7-9-0 0-0
2006 Denver Broncos Offensive Coordinator 9-7-0 0-0
2005 Denver Broncos Offensive Line Coach 13-3-0 1-1
2004 Denver Broncos Offensive Line Coach 10-6-0 0-1
2003 Denver Broncos Offensive Line Coach 10-6-0 0-1
2002 Denver Broncos Offensive Line Coach 9-7-0 0-0
2001 Denver Broncos Offensive Line Coach 8-8-0 0-0
2000 Denver Broncos Special Teams Coach 11-5-0 0-1
1999 Denver Broncos Special Teams Coach 6-10-0 0-0
1998 Denver Broncos Special Teams Coach 14-2-0 3-0
1997 Denver Broncos Special Teams Coach 12-4-0 4-0
1996 Denver Broncos Offensive Assistant Coach 13-3-0 0-1
1995 Denver Broncos Offensive Assistant Coach 8-8-0 0-0

Coach history guide

Seasons with a championship win Seasons with a conference championship

Coach facts