Danny Barrett (gridiron football) facts for kids

Danny Barrett (born December 18, 1961) is an American gridiron football coach and a former player. He is currently the assistant head coach and running backs coach for the Houston Texans in the National Football League (NFL). Before coaching, he was a Canadian Football League (CFL) quarterback. He also served as the head coach for the CFL's Saskatchewan Roughriders and was an interim head coach for the UCF Knights in 2015.

Danny Barrett's Playing Career

Before becoming a professional football player, Danny Barrett was a star at the University of Cincinnati. In 1982, he was a co-captain for the Bearcats team. He also received an Honorable Mention All-American nomination from the Associated Press.

Professional Football Highlights

Danny Barrett played in 163 regular season CFL games. He played for teams like the Calgary Stampeders, Toronto, B.C., and Ottawa. During his career, he passed for 23,419 yards. He completed 1,656 passes out of 3,078 attempts. He also threw 133 touchdowns.

In 1985, Barrett also played as a slotback for the Calgary Stampeders. He caught 32 passes for 455 yards and scored two touchdowns. He led the 1987 Argonauts and the 1991 Stampeders to the Grey Cup championship games. In the 1991 Grey Cup, he set a CFL record with 34 completions.

In 1992, while playing for the BC Lions, Barrett received the Tom Pate award. This award is given for outstanding contributions to the league, his team, and his community. In 1993, he briefly held the CFL record for most passing yards in a single game with 601 yards.

Danny Barrett's Coaching Journey

Danny Barrett started his coaching career in 1997 with the Calgary Stampeders. As a new assistant coach, he worked with the Stampeder quarterbacks. These included famous players like Jeff Garcia, Dave Dickenson, and Henry Burris.

Early Coaching Roles

In 1998, Barrett joined the BC Lions as the quarterback coach. He also served as an assistant offensive coordinator. For 15 games that season, he even had to suit up as the Lions’ backup quarterback. In 1999, he coached the Lions’ receiver group.

Leading the Saskatchewan Roughriders

In 1999, Danny Barrett became the head coach of the Saskatchewan Roughriders. This was a big moment in football history. The Roughriders became the first professional team with a black general manager and a black head coach. The team improved a lot during Barrett's first four years.

By 2003, the team finished with a strong 11–7 record. They almost made it to the championship, losing a close playoff game. Barrett coached the Roughriders in more regular season games than any other coach in their history. His overall record as head coach there was 57 wins, 68 losses, and one tie.

Coaching in College and the NFL

After his time with the Roughriders, Barrett continued his coaching career. On February 7, 2007, he became the quarterbacks and assistant head coach at the University at Buffalo. In December 2009, he was named interim head coach for the Buffalo Bulls.

In 2010, he became the offensive coordinator at Bethune-Cookman University. Then, in February 2011, he joined the UCF as the running backs coach. He later became the quarterbacks coach at UCF in January 2015. In October 2015, he was named interim head coach for UCF for the rest of the season.

On January 23, 2016, Barrett was hired by the Miami Dolphins as their running backs coach. He then moved to the Houston Texans on January 19, 2018, also as their running backs coach. He has continued with the Texans and, as of 2023, also holds the title of assistant head coach.

Head Coaching Records

Danny Barrett has served as a head coach for both CFL and college teams.

CFL Head Coaching Record

• Saskatchewan Roughriders (2000-2006):

* Regular Season: 57 wins, 68 losses, 1 tie * Playoffs: 3 wins, 5 losses

College Head Coaching Record

• UCF Knights (2015 - Interim):

* Overall: 0 wins, 4 losses * Conference: 0 wins, 4 losses