Romeo Crennel

Romeo Crennel’s football coaching career spans fifty years. A master strategist and beloved teacher of the game, he’s one of the most decorated assistant coaches in NFL history, with 17 playoff appearances, 13 division titles, six conference championships, and five Super Bowl titles.

Born in Lynchburg, Virginia in 1947 and raised partly in Fort Knox, Kentucky, Crennel was a three‑year defensive line starter at Western Kentucky University. At his coach’s request, he switched to the offensive line as a senior—earning team MVP honors and deepening his understanding of both sides of the line of scrimmage. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in physical education, then stayed at WKU to earn a master’s while beginning his coaching career as a graduate assistant and, subsequently, as defensive–line coach.

Crennel steadily rose through the coaching ranks, beginning with collegiate programs before making his mark in the NFL. His early career after WKU included stops at Texas Tech (1975–1977), Ole Miss (1978–1979), and Georgia Tech (1980). In 1981, he made the leap to the professional level.

Over the next 23 years, Crennel held assistant coaching roles in the NFL with the New York Giants, New England Patriots, New York Jets, and Cleveland Browns. During that span, he collected five Super Bowl rings—two as defensive coordinator with the Giants (Super Bowls XXI and XXV) and three more in the same position with the Patriots (Super Bowls XXXVI, XXXVIII, and XXXIX). Known for his steady leadership and sharp defensive strategy, Crennel played a key role in shaping some of the most dominant defenses in NFL history.

In 2005, Crennel earned his first opportunity as a head coach when he took over the Cleveland Browns. In 2007, he led the team to a 10–6 record—their first winning season since the franchise was revived in 1999. However, the momentum didn’t last, and after a disappointing 4–12 campaign in 2008, Crennel was let go. He finished his tenure in Cleveland with a 24–40 record.

After stepping away from coaching in 2009, Crennel returned in 2010 as defensive coordinator for the Kansas City Chiefs. Near the end of the 2011 season, he was named interim head coach following the dismissal of Todd Haley. He went 2–1 in that role and was promoted to head coach for the 2012 season. Unfortunately, the Chiefs struggled to a 2–14 record, and Crennel was relieved of his duties at the end of the year.

In 2014, Romeo Crennel joined the Houston Texans for what would become his final stop in the NFL. He began as the team’s defensive coordinator, and by 2016, his unit led the league in total defense. In 2020, just four games into the season, Crennel was named interim head coach. At 73 years and 115 days old, he became the oldest head coach in NFL history. He finished the season with a 4–8 record and remained with the Texans for one final year as a senior advisor before retiring in June 2022.

In honor of his outstanding career, Romeo Crennel was awarded the 2020 Paul “Dr. Z” Zimmerman Award by the Pro Football Writers of America. The lifetime achievement award, recognizing excellence as an NFL assistant coach, served as a fitting capstone to his remarkable football career.

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