Gerald Alexander facts for kids

Gerald Alexander (born June 28, 1984) is an American football coach and a former safety. A safety is a player who helps defend against passes and tackles opponents. He played college football at Boise State University. Later, he was chosen by the Detroit Lions in the second round of the 2007 NFL draft. He also played for other teams like the Jacksonville Jaguars, Carolina Panthers, Miami Dolphins, and New York Jets. Today, he is the safeties coach for the Las Vegas Raiders.

Alexander started his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Arkansas State University and the University of Washington. In 2015, he became the defensive backs coach at Indiana State University. In December 2015, he moved to Montana State University as their defensive backs coach.

Early Life and College Football

Alexander went to Rancho Cucamonga High School from 1998 to 2002. He was also a talented track and field athlete there.

He was a key player for Boise State University. He helped them win the exciting Fiesta Bowl against Oklahoma. This was a big surprise win in the 2006 season. While at Boise State, Alexander was recognized as one of the best players in the Western Athletic Conference four times.

Professional Playing Career

Playing for the Detroit Lions

In his first year, 2007, Alexander played in all 16 games for the Detroit Lions. This happened because another safety got injured. During that season, Gerald made 81 tackles, which means he stopped opponents carrying the ball 81 times. He also had 2 sacks (tackling the quarterback) and recovered fumbles.

Playing for the Jacksonville Jaguars

On June 26, 2009, Alexander was traded to the Jacksonville Jaguars. He played for them until he was released on October 19, 2010.

Playing for the Carolina Panthers

The Carolina Panthers signed Alexander on November 23, 2010. He became a free agent after that season.

Playing for the Miami Dolphins

Alexander joined the Miami Dolphins on August 28, 2011. He was released briefly on September 2, 2011, but then re-signed on October 19, 2011.

Playing for the New York Jets

In December 2011, the New York Jets signed Alexander. They needed more players at the safety position because of an injury to their starting safety. He was released from the Jets on March 14, 2012.

Coaching Career

Starting as a Coach

After his playing career, Alexander began coaching. He worked as a student assistant on the coaching staff of Arkansas State for the 2013 season.

Coaching at Washington and Indiana State

Alexander joined the Washington Huskies coaching staff as a graduate assistant in 2014. This was under head coach Chris Petersen. In July 2015, he became the defensive backs coach at Indiana State University.

Coaching at Montana State

Alexander coached the secondary (defensive backs) for Montana State in 2016. Before that, he participated in a special program called the Bill Walsh Minority Internship Program with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Coaching at California

Alexander joined the University of California's coaching staff in 2017. He was their defensive backs coach until the 2019 season.

Coaching for the Miami Dolphins

On January 24, 2020, Alexander was hired by the Miami Dolphins as their defensive backs coach. He missed one game in November 2020 due to health protocols. On February 10, 2022, Alexander was no longer with the Dolphins.

Coaching for the Pittsburgh Steelers

Alexander then joined the Pittsburgh Steelers as an assistant defensive backs coach. In his first season with Pittsburgh in 2022, he helped the Steelers' secondary. They tied for first in the League with 20 interceptions. Safety Minkah Fitzpatrick, who Alexander coached, led the league with six interceptions.

Coaching for the Las Vegas Raiders

Alexander was hired by the Las Vegas Raiders in 2024. He joined the team under new head coach Antonio Pierce and general manager Tom Telesco. He is currently the safeties coach for the Raiders.