| Date of birth | January 4, 1972 |
|---|---|
| Place of birth | Cleveland, Ohio |
| Position(s) | Defensive back |
| College | University of Wisconsin |
| Team(s) as a coach/administrator | |
| 1997–1998 1999 2000 2001–2003 2004 2005–2007 2008 2009–2011 2011–present |
Michigan State (Graduate assistant) Miami (Ohio) (Defensive backs) LSU (Defensive backs) Ohio State (Defensive backs) Ohio State (Co-defensive coordinator) Cleveland Browns (Defensive backs) Cleveland Browns (Defensive coordinator) Jacksonville Jaguars (Defensive coordinator) Jacksonville Jaguars (Interim head coach/defensive coordinator) |
Mel Tucker (born January 4, 1972) is an American football coach who is currently the interim head coach and defensive coordinator of the Jacksonville Jaguars of the National Football League (NFL).[1][2]
Tucker was born in Cleveland, Ohio. He attended University of Wisconsin, where he played defensive end for the Wisconsin Badgers football team. He graduated in 1995 with a degree in agricultural business management.[3]
Tucker began his coaching career in 1997 as a graduate assistant for the Michigan State University Spartans under head coach Nick Saban.[4] In 1999 he served as a defensive backs coach for the Miami University Redhawks, and then in 2000 followed Saban to Louisiana State University to fill the same position with the LSU Tigers. In 2001 he became defensive backs coach for the Ohio State University Buckeyes under coach Jim Tressel, and in 2004 he was made co-defensive coordinator.[3]
In 2005 Tucker entered the National Football League with the Cleveland Browns. He coached defensive backs from 2005–2007 and was promoted to defensive coordinator in the 2008 season following the firing of Todd Grantham.[5][6] Under Tucker, Cleveland consistently ranked fifth in the league, with the defense making 73 interceptions.[3] After the firing of Browns head coach Romeo Crennel, Tucker was replaced by Rob Ryan.[7]
In 2009 Tucker was hired by the Jacksonville Jaguars as the defensive coordinator. In the 2011 season head coach Jack Del Rio put Tucker in charge of defensive play-calling, and the team quickly became the fourth highest rated in the NFL. On November 29, 2011, Tucker was named Jacksonville's interim head coach following the firing of Del Rio. He will run the team for their final five games and will be in consideration for the job full time.[4] Tucker won his first game as coach in week 14, a 44-14 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He went 2-3 as interim head coach.
| Preceded by Todd Grantham |
Cleveland Browns Defensive Coordinators 2008 |
Succeeded by Rob Ryan |
| Preceded by Gregg Williams |
Jacksonville Jaguars Defensive Coordinators 2009–present |
Succeeded by Current Coach |
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