Brian Baker (American football) facts for kids
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| Born: | June 20, 1962 Baltimore, Maryland, U.S. |
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| College: | Maryland |
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Brian Michael Baker (born June 20, 1962) is an American football coach. He used to be a linebacker and coached the defensive line for the Indianapolis Colts. Brian has coached football for over 30 years, working with both college teams and teams in the National Football League (NFL).
Playing Football
Brian Baker grew up in Baltimore, Maryland. He played college football as an outside linebacker for the Maryland Terrapins. He played from 1980 until 1983, when his team won the ACC championship. During his time at Maryland, he played alongside famous quarterbacks like Boomer Esiason and Frank Reich.
After finishing his playing career, Brian stayed with the Terrapins. In 1984, he worked as a student assistant coach. In 1985, he earned his degree in marketing while serving as a graduate assistant coach.
Coaching Career
After coaching at his old college for two years, Brian Baker moved to Army. There, he coached the running backs in 1986.
College Coaching
Following his year at Army, Brian coached linebackers at Georgia Tech for nine years. In 1995, he took on an extra role as the defensive coordinator, meaning he was in charge of the team's defense.
He later returned to college coaching. From 2016 to 2018, he was the defensive line coach for Mississippi State. In 2019, he joined the Alabama team as an associate head coach and defensive line coach, working under the famous coach Nick Saban. In 2022, he coached the defensive line for Charlotte. In 2023, he returned to Georgia Tech as a Senior Defensive Analyst.
NFL Coaching
In 1996, Brian made the big jump to the National Football League (NFL). He became the defensive line coach for the San Diego Chargers. He joined the staff of his former Maryland head coach, Bobby Ross.
He then moved with Coach Ross to the Detroit Lions in 1997, coaching the defensive line for four years. After that, Brian spent five years with the Minnesota Vikings. For three of those years, he coached the defensive line, and for two years, he coached the linebackers.
From 2006 to 2008, Brian Baker coached the defensive line for the St. Louis Rams. He then coached the defensive line for the Panthers from 2009 to 2010.
For the next two seasons, Brian was the defensive line coach for the Dallas Cowboys. While there, he worked with three players who were chosen for the Pro Bowl (a special game for the best players): DeMarcus Ware, Jay Ratliff, and Anthony Spencer.
In 2013, Brian coached the outside linebackers for the Cleveland Browns. In 2014, he coached the outside linebackers for the Washington Redskins. In 2015, he worked as an assistant coach for a high school football team in Texas.
In 2020, Brian returned to the NFL as the defensive line coach for the Indianapolis Colts, working again with Frank Reich, his former college teammate.
Personal Life
Brian Baker is married to Nevada, and they have four daughters named Norell, Nicole, Jade, and Jasmine.
