Tag: Chip Vaughn

Jets claim DB Zane Lewis from Cardinals

On Monday, the Jets claimed undrafted free agent DB Zane Lewis on waivers, the Air Force Academy product has ties to the coaching staff.

The Jets claimed DB Zane Lewis on waivers from Arizona, the team announced Monday.

Lewis signed with the Cardinals as an undrafted free agent out of the Air Force Academy back in May.

Now, Lewis comes to New York already having some familiarity with the coaching staff. He’ll reunite with his former position coach, Chip Vaughn, who is now Gang Green’s assistant defensive backs coach. Vaughn spent two seasons as the Falcons’ secondary coach before accepting a position on Gregg Williams’ defensive coaching staff this past offseason.

At Air Force, Lewis played in 37 games across four seasons. During his senior campaign, Lewis recorded 45 tackles and one interception playing in all 13 games. In addition, Lewis tied for fourth in the nation with 15 passes defended in 2019 and he allowed only 5.0 yards per target in coverage, which ranked in the 93rd percentile among qualified cornerbacks, according to Michael Nania.

Lewis brings a dimension of speed to Gang Green’s secondary, which is evident in his 4.45 40-yard dash time and two career 99-yard interception returns for touchdowns.

New York has yet to announce a corresponding move and with the season just a little under two weeks away, Lewis figures to be a potential practice squad addition.

Jets hire Air Force coach with ties to Gregg Williams

Chip Vaughn, who coached Air Force’s defensive backs for the past two seasons, will join the Jets as a defensive assistant.

The Jets went to the college ranks to add an assistant for Gregg Williams’ defensive staff.

Chip Vaughn, previously an Air Force defensive backs coach, joined the Jets as a defensive assistant and assistant defensive backs coach, according to the Colorado Springs Gazette. Vaughn coached the Falcons’ defensive backs the previous two seasons.

This offseason, the Jets lost assistant defensive backs coach Steve Jackson, who became the new Cincinnati Bengals cornerbacks coach. Just two weeks ago, the Jets added Leigh Torrence as their assistant defensive backs coach. On Tuesday, the team added Vaughn, in addition to Torrence, to help assist Dennard Wilson, the team’s passing game coordinator/defensive backs coach.

Torrence played cornerback during his football career, while Vaughn played safety. It’s likely the two will help assist those two positions, respectively.

After playing college football at Wake Forrest University, Vaughn was drafted by the New Orleans Saints in the fourth round in 2009. There, he played under Williams.

Vaughn was waived after spending the entire season on injured reserve, but he did earn a Super Bowl ring with New Orleans. Vaughn would go on to play two more seasons in the NFL, with stints in Philadelphia, Indianapolis and Carolina. From there, Vaughn played for the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the CFL.

In 2015, Vaughn began his coaching career, overseeing safeties and assisting with special teams at Winston-Salem State University through the NFLPA Coaching Internship program. He was promoted to an assistant coach after the internship ended.

The following season, Vaughn joined Fayetteville State University football, where he was hired as defensive backs coach, defensive passing game coordinator and videotape exchange coordinator.

Now he’s in the Big Apple, reunited with Williams.