Andre Patterson (American football) facts for kids

Andre Cornelius Patterson Sr. (born June 12, 1960) is a well-known American football coach. He currently works as the defensive line coach for the New York Giants in the National Football League (NFL). Before joining the Giants, he coached for several other NFL teams. These include the Denver Broncos, Cleveland Browns, Dallas Cowboys, New England Patriots, and Minnesota Vikings. Patterson also served as a head football coach at California Polytechnic State University from 1994 to 1996.

Andre Patterson's College Football Journey

Patterson started his college football playing career at Contra Costa College. He played as a defensive lineman there from 1978 to 1980. In 1981, he transferred to the University of Montana. Unfortunately, a knee injury ended his playing career early. He graduated from Montana in 1983 with a bachelor's degree in secondary education.

Andre Patterson's Coaching Career

Andre Patterson has had a long and successful coaching career. He has coached at various levels, from high school to college and the NFL.

Coaching High School and College Teams

Patterson began his coaching journey as a graduate assistant at Montana. He then became an assistant coach at Renton High School from 1983 to 1986. In 1987, he coached at Saint Monica Catholic High School, where he also led the varsity baseball team. He returned to college football in 1989. He joined Western Michigan as their defensive coordinator.

As the head coach at Cal Poly, Patterson led the Mustangs to success. Cal Poly was a new FCS-level team at the time. He helped them win one American West Conference championship. He also recruited talented players who later became professionals, like Kamil Loud and Antonio Warren. In 1997, he got his first chance to coach in the National Football League.

Coaching in the NFL for the First Time

In 1997, New England Patriots head coach Pete Carroll brought Patterson onto his staff. Patterson became the defensive line coach for the Patriots. After that, he continued coaching defensive lines for several other NFL teams. These included the Minnesota Vikings, Dallas Cowboys, Cleveland Browns, and Denver Broncos.

Returning to High School Coaching

In 2007, Patterson went back to coaching high school football. He became the offensive line coach at Regis Jesuit High School. This move allowed him to coach his son, who was starting his freshman year there.

Back to College Football Coaching

Patterson returned to college coaching as an assistant head coach and defensive line coach. He worked at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) from 2008 to 2009. From 2010 to 2012, he was the defensive coordinator and defensive line coach at the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP). His most recent college coaching job was in 2013. He served as an assistant head coach and defensive line coach at Florida International University (FIU).

Andre Patterson's Return to the NFL

Coaching the Minnesota Vikings

In 2014, Patterson rejoined the Minnesota Vikings. He became the defensive line coach under new head coach Mike Zimmer. In 2015, Patterson's defensive line played a big part in the Vikings' success. The team won their first NFC North Division title since 2009. Their defense was very strong, allowing the fifth-fewest points in the league.

On April 14, 2021, the Vikings gave Patterson more responsibilities. He was named assistant head coach, co-defensive coordinator, and defensive line coach.

Joining the New York Giants

On February 10, 2022, Andre Patterson was hired by the New York Giants. He became their defensive line coach, working under head coach Brian Daboll. He continues in this role today.

Andre Patterson's Family Life

Andre Patterson is married to Donna. They have two children together: a son named Andre Jr. and a daughter named Ashmera.