Eagles add former Auburn star as defensive line coach

Share

Nick Sirianni is expected to add former NFL defensive lineman Tracy Rocker to his staff as defensive line coach, according to Yahoo Sports college football writer Pete Thamel.

Rocker and new Eagles defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon were together on Mike Munchak’s Titans staff in 2012 and 2013, Rocker as a defensive assistant and quality control coach and Gannon as defensive line coach.

Rocker, 54, had just been named defensive line coach at Auburn on Jan. 13.

Rocker, who played at Auburn in the late 1980s, is considered one of the greatest college defensive linemen ever. He won the 1988 Outland Trophy, awarded to the nation’s best interior lineman, and in 2004 was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.

He was Washington’s 3rd-round pick in 1989 but played only two seasons in the NFL, starting 17 games and playing in 24, before a brief stint with the Orlando Thunder of the World League.

Rocker began his coaching career at his alma mater, Auburn High School, in 1992, before spending time as a defensive line coach at six colleges from 1994 through 2010.

He got his first taste of NFL coaching through the NFL Minority Coaching Fellowship program in 2001 under Jim Mora and in 2006 under Jon Gruden.

Rocker's only previous full-time NFL job is the three years he spent with the Titans from 2011 through 2013.

Since then, he’s served as defensive line coach at Georgia, the University of Tennessee and most recently South Carolina last year.

Subscribe to the Eagle Eye podcast:

Apple Podcasts | Google Play | Spotify | Stitcher | Art19 | Watch on YouTube

Contact Us