Former Louisville football head coach, Charlie Strong, leaves Alabama and is back in the NFL for the first time since 2021, as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers new defensive line coach.
Strong left Louisville back in 2013 to be University of Texas head coach, but this time he leaves Tuscaloosa to head to the NFL and will be leading the charge for the Bucs front line.
The Buccaneers started looking for a new defensive line coach after Kacy Rodgers left Tampa Bay to go work with Dan Cambell in Detroit. According to Ian Rapoport, the former Louisville football head coach will take the defensive line position with Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
The #Bucs are set to hire Charlie Strong as their new defensive line coach, sources say.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) February 5, 2025
The former #Louisville and #Texas head coach spent last season with #Bama as an analyst. Now, back in the NFL for the first time since 2021 with the #Jaguars. pic.twitter.com/BMPelYomm1
Former Louisville football head coach Charlie Strong returns to NFL
While Alabama had some problems on the defensive side of the ball, Strong helped Alabama's defense to still be one of the elite defense's in the league producing NFL talent every year. Strong was Alabama defensive analyst and helped the Tide's defense be ranked in the top 10 for points allowed at just 17.4 points per game.
Alabama gave up just 137 rushing yards per game, and 182 passing yards per game in the 2024 season. Alabama was a top 20 overall defense in 2024, and Strong will look to bring his college legacy career back to the NFL.
Strong's time at Louisville was short lived but brought the Cardinals football program to life. His record at Louisville was 37-15, including an 11-2 2012 season, and an impressive 12-1 2013 season. He gave the Cardinals a pair of Big East Conference Championships in those glorious years of 2011, and 2012, and he was also named Big East Coach of the Year in both 2010 and 2012.
Charlie Strong led UofL to four straight bowl game appearances with a record of 3-1 record, including a victory over No. 4 Florida in the 2013 Allstate Sugar Bowl. Strong is the only coach in Louisville history to win three bowl games and before Strong coaching career at Louisville, UofL only won just six bowl games in the program’s 100-year history.
Strong coached in the NFL back in 2021 for the Jacksonville Jaguars, as he was their linebackers coach under Urban Meyer. Charlie Strong now makes his way back to the NFL and will Todd Bowles‘ Buccaneers staff and look to be as dominant as they were last year on the defensive side.
The Buccaneers gave up just 85 yards per game on the ground which was second least amount of rushing yards per game in 2024. Buccaneers forced 26 turnovers and had a turnover differential of +8 which was top 10 in the NFL.
Former Louisville head coach looks to continue his coaching career in Tampa Bay and will now lead that lethal Buccaneers defensive front line.