Bret Bielema, the New York Giants first-year outside linebackers coach, is well-known to football junkies around the country. He was a defensive lineman at Iowa under coach Hayden Fry before going into the coaching profession.
Bielema is widely known as the former head coach of both Wisconsin and Arkansas and a well-connected figure among the coaching ranks. He lands with the Giants here in 2020 as a ‘senior defensive assistant’ who will also handle the outside linebackers.
Bielema has a connection to new Giants head coach Joe Judge via their time in New England the last two seasons working on Bill Belichick’s staff. Judge served as the Patriots’ special teams coordinator and wide receivers coach, while the more seasoned Bielema held the title of “special consultant to the head coach” and also ran the defensive line. He is a big proponent of Judge’s leadership abilities.
“I knew Joe Judge’s name before I went to New England and then obviously during my time there over two years,” Bielema told reporters this week.”The first meeting I sat in front and he was going over details that Coach Belichick would give him, just very impressive to realize the football presentation awareness. His voice, his demeanor, it was very intriguing to me. I know he has a special teams background and interests.
“To hear that firsthand and then get around him and see the general football knowledge that existed. On a personal note and the way he is as a father and the way he interacts with his colleagues and coaches and players, you know he had big things in front of him. I’m very excited to be here with him.”
Bielema, who led the Badgers to three Big Ten titles brings his advanced experience and knowledge to East Rutherford to take on the task of rounding out a very diverse and talented group that consists of Markus Golden, Kyler Fackrell, Lorenzo Carter, and Oshane Ximines plus two rookies in Cam Brown and Carter Coughlin.
“They are all very impressive,” Bielema said of his charges. “I think as a group we always talk about ‘OLBDNA.’ What we are and what we represent, when we’re there, when we’re not there. They have been a good group do work with. There isn’t any true all-stars, just guys who show up to work every day. They have a blue-collar mentality. They represent the New York Giant blue really, really well. They are hard workers.
“I’m not saying they aren’t going to be stars or superstars, but they are guys that are working the process. We have two rookies, that’s probably why my voice is the way it is. Trying to bring them along on a daily basis. Joe and the personnel department have done an outstanding job of giving us a good group of people to work with. It’s just fun to come to work every day.”
Bielema is also pleased to work with two former Big Ten players in Brown (Penn State) and Coughlin (Minnesota).
“Yeah, they have been a lot of fun. Two different kinds of guys,” said Bielema. “Carter played on the line of scrimmage, did a lot of things on the edge at Minnesota. Cam was an edge to air player, he was in space a lot. A very long player, Carter is a little bit more of an on the line of scrimmage linebacker. It’s been fun. Both uniquely different but both great to work with on a daily basis.
“What’s impressive to me is the way the vets have responded to them. You knew they were going to respond to the vets, but sometimes the vets aren’t as reciprocal. All four of our veteran players do everything they can to make them better. It really makes our room pretty cool.”
Just another example of how the Giants’ culture is changing under the guidance of Judge and his staff.
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