2-time Jaguars special teams coordinator John Bonamego retires

John Bonamego, who twice served as special teams coordinator of the Jaguars, announced he’s retired from coaching.

Long time NFL special teams coach John Bonamego has retired after more than three decades of coaching, he told ESPN’s Michael Rothstein on Friday.

Bonamego, 59, began his career in the high school and college ranks before the Jacksonville Jaguars hired him as an assistant special teams coach in 1999. After three years in that role, Bonamego was promoted to special teams coordinator in 2002. The Jaguars blocked four kicks that season and punter Chris Hanson made the Pro Bowl, but Bonamego left after Tom Coughlin was fired as the team’s head coach.

A decade later, Bonamego rejoined the Jaguars as special teams coordinator under Mike Mularkey in 2012.

Bonamego also had stints as special teams coordinator of the Green Bay Packers, New Orleans Saints, Miami Dolphins, Detroit Lions, and Los Angeles Rams. He also spent four seasons as the head coach of the Central Michigan Chippewas from 2015 to 2018.

Most recently, Bonamego spent the 2022 season as a senior special teams assistant with the Iowa State Cyclones.

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6 things we learned from Rams’ introduction of new coordinators

The Rams will be staying with a 3-4 defense under Brandon Staley.

The Los Angeles Rams made several major changes to their coaching staff this offseason, bringing in three new faces to fill the coordinator jobs on offense, defense and special teams.

On Wednesday, Sean McVay introduced offensive coordinator Kevin O’Connell, defensive coordinator Brandon Staley and special teams coordinator John Bonamego at a press conference, fielding questions from reporters in attendance.

He and the coordinators were asked about potential changes coming schematically, roles of the new coaches and what sold McVay on them as candidates for the jobs.

Here are six things we learned from the press conference.

Rams will stay in base 3-4 scheme

One of the biggest questions when the Rams replaced Wade Phillips with Staley was whether they’d switch to a 4-3 front. Staley coached a 3-4 defense under Vic Fangio in Chicago and Denver, and that will seemingly continue in 2020.

Staley said there will be a lot of carryover from last year’s Rams defense, indicating that their base scheme will remain a 3-4.

“A lot of it’s predicated on the players, but structurally, our system – from a personnel standpoint – there will be a lot of carryover,” Staley said. “With Vic, we’ve been a 3-4 structure, but we’ve played a lot of different groupings. As an offense or a defense, you’ve got to have a framework of where you’re guys are going to meet, so I think that’s going to be the comforting thing for our players. They’re going to be performing a lot of the same jobs, a lot of the same roles. There’s none of those wholesale changes that happen other places.”

4 things to know about new Rams ST coordinator John Bonamego

John Bonamego has deep ties to the state of Michigan.

It took a little while, but the Los Angeles Rams found their replacement for John Fassel as their special teams coordinator. They announced the hiring of John Bonamego on Monday, bringing in the experienced 56-year-old coordinator.

Bonamego will be introduced and speak to the media on Wednesday, but before he does, let’s get to know him a little bit better. Here are four things to know about the Rams’ new special teams coordinator.

He’s been a special teams coach in the NFL for 17 years

Unlike the other assistants Sean McVay has hired this offseason, Bonamego has extensive coaching experience. He’s been a special teams coach – either an assistant or a coordinator – in the NFL for 17 years, getting his start back in 1999 with the Jaguars.

In addition to Jacksonville and Detroit, Bonamego has made stops in Green Bay, New Orleans and Miami. His longest stint with a team was with the Jaguars, where he spent four years.

Report: Ex-Lions coach John Bonamego hired by Rams as special teams coach

Bonamego was fired after the 2019 season

Former Detroit Lions special teams coordinator John Bonamego has landed on his feet in Los Angeles. Bonamego has been hired as the new special teams coach of the Rams, according to various reports including one from Lindsay Thiry of ESPN.

Coach Bonamego was let go by Detroit after just one season in his second stint with the Lions. He was also the Lions’ special teams leader from 2013-2014, leaving the team to be the head coach at his alma mater, Central Michigan, for the years in between.

The Rams had an opening with John Fassel leaving to join the Dallas Cowboys. This will be the eighth NFL team to hire Bonamego as its special teams coordinator, dating back to the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2002.

Report: Rams hiring John Bonamego to replace John Fassel as ST coordinator

The Rams have found a replacement for John Fassel on special teams.

The Los Angeles Rams are slowly but surely filling out their coaching staff. After beginning the offseason with the departures of Wade Phillips, Skip Peete and John Fassel, Sean McVay appears to have filled all three positions.

According to Lindsey Thiry of ESPN, the Rams are hiring John Bonamego as their new special teams coordinator, replacing Fassel. Mike McCarthy hired Fassel last month to his staff with the Cowboys.

The Lions parted ways with Bonamego after the 2019 season ended, along with six other assistants. It was his second stint as the Lions’ special teams coordinator, with his first coming in 2013-2014.

He got his start in the NFL as a special teams assistant with the Jaguars in 1999, holding that position until 2001. He was promoted to special teams coordinator in 2002 and has bounced around the league ever since, making stops in Green Bay, New Orleans, Miami and Detroit.

Bonamego, 56, was also the head coach at Central Michigan for four years from 2015-2018, going 22-29 with three bowl appearances (all losses).