Michael Mark Pettine (born September 25, 1966) is an American football coach who is the assistant head coach and outside linebackers coach for the Minnesota Vikings of the National Football League (NFL). He was the head coach of the Cleveland Browns from 2014 to 2015, and has also served as the defensive coordinator for the Buffalo Bills, New York Jets, and Green Bay Packers.

Mike Pettine
Candid waist-up photograph of Pettine wearing a grey pullover bearing a Cleveland Browns logo and dark sunglasses standing on a football field
Pettine in 2014
Minnesota Vikings
Position:Assistant head coach/Outside linebackers coach
Personal information
Born: (1966-09-25) September 25, 1966 (age 58)
Doylestown, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Career information
High school:Central Bucks (PA) West
College:Virginia
Career history
As a coach:
Head coaching record
Regular season:NFL: 10–22 (.313)
Record at Pro Football Reference

Playing career

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Pettine earned all-state honors as a quarterback and defensive back at Central Bucks High School West. The head coach was his father, Mike Pettine Sr., who is renowned in Pennsylvania for compiling a record of 326–42–4 in 33 seasons and winning four state championships.[1][2]

Pettine played free safety at the University of Virginia graduating in 1988 with a bachelor's degree in economics.

Coaching career

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High school

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Pettine coached high school football in Pennsylvania at North Penn and William Tennent high schools after working as a graduate assistant at the University of Pittsburgh (1993–1994). He also spent four years as an assistant coach under his father at Central Bucks West High School. In 1999, a New York Times TV crew documented the North Penn football season for ESPN in a film titled The Season. The TV show consisted of two separate hours and followed the team behind the scenes during the 1999 season and highlighted the rivalry between North Penn and Central Bucks West.[2]

National Football League

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Baltimore Ravens

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Pettine joined the Ravens in 2001 and was promoted to OLB's coach in 2005 when Rex Ryan became defensive coordinator.

New York Jets

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Pettine, as Rex Ryan's "right-hand man", reportedly received a three-year deal to lead the Jets defense. Pettine has been credited with contributing strongly to the Jets number one defense in the NFL in 2009. His tenure with the Jets ended after the 2012 season, with the expiration of his contract.[3]

Buffalo Bills

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Pettine was hired to be the defensive coordinator of the Buffalo Bills on January 9, 2013.[4]

Cleveland Browns

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Pettine was hired to be the head coach of the Cleveland Browns on January 23, 2014.[5] Pettine started 7–4 in the 2014 season, but the Browns lost their final 5 games to finish at 7–9. The Browns were 3–13 the following season. On January 3, 2016, the same day the Browns lost their last game of the season to finish 3–13, Pettine was fired, along with general manager Ray Farmer. Pettine went 10–22 in his two seasons as Cleveland's head coach, losing 18 of his final 21 games.

Seattle Seahawks

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In 2017, Pettine worked as a consultant for the Seattle Seahawks.[6]

Green Bay Packers

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On January 10, 2018, Pettine was hired as defensive coordinator by the Green Bay Packers by head coach Mike McCarthy.[7] On December 2, 2018, the Packers fired McCarthy after a 20–17 loss to the Arizona Cardinals at home, and he was replaced by interim head coach Joe Philbin. On January 7, 2019, the Packers hired Matt LaFleur as their new head coach, who announced he would retain Pettine as defensive coordinator through the 2019 season.

During his time with the Packers, Pettine improved the Packers defense from the league's 29th ranked unit in 2018[8] to the 15th ranked unit in 2019[9] and 17th ranked in 2020.[10] However, he was widely criticized for his calls in the playoffs, particularly in the Packers' losses in back-to-back NFC Championship games. In the 2019 NFC Championship Game, Pettine's defense gave up 285 rushing yards to the NFC champion San Francisco 49ers, on their way to a 37–20 loss. In the 2020 NFC Championship Game, the Packers defense picked off quarterback Tom Brady three times, but also gave up a late first-half touchdown when Pettine called for cornerback Kevin King to cover receiver Scotty Miller one-on-one. Pettine's call was widely criticized by many, including his own head coach.

On January 29, 2021, Pettine was let go by the Green Bay Packers as the defensive coordinator; his contract had expired and the Packers reportedly did not move to extend it.[11]

Chicago Bears

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On February 10, 2021, Pettine was hired by the Chicago Bears as a senior defensive assistant under head coach Matt Nagy.[12] Pettine would not be retained under new head coach Matt Eberflus.

Minnesota Vikings

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Pettine joined the Minnesota Vikings on February 13, 2022, as the senior defensive assistant under head coach Kevin O'Connell. In 2024, the Vikings added outside linebackers coaching duties to Pettine’s responsibilities.[13]


Head coaching record

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Team Year Regular season Postseason
Won Lost Ties Win % Finish Won Lost Win % Result
CLE 2014 7 9 0 .438 4th in AFC North
CLE 2015 3 13 0 .188 4th in AFC North
Total 10 22 0 .313 0 0 .000

References

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  1. ^ "Browns name Mike Pettine head coach". Archived from the original on January 26, 2014. Retrieved December 4, 2014.
  2. ^ a b Caldwell, Dave (January 19, 2011). "Coach Inhabits Ryan's Shadow on Defense". The New York Times. Retrieved June 19, 2024.
  3. ^ Martin, Kimberly (January 8, 2012). "Jets have to hire two coordinators as Tony Sparano, Mike Pettine won't be back". Newsday. Retrieved January 9, 2013.
  4. ^ Gantt, Darin (January 9, 2013). "Bills hire Mike Pettine as defensive coordinator". NBC Sports. Retrieved January 9, 2013.
  5. ^ Rosenthal, Gregg (January 23, 2014). "Mike Pettine hired as Cleveland Browns' next coach". NFL Network. Retrieved August 1, 2015.
  6. ^ "Packers.com, the official website of the Green Bay Packers". packers.com. Retrieved March 17, 2020.
  7. ^ Shook, Nick (January 10, 2018). "Packers hire Joe Philbin, Mike Pettine as coordinators". NFL.com. Retrieved October 31, 2024.
  8. ^ "Final 2018 DVOA Ratings | Football Outsiders". www.footballoutsiders.com. Retrieved June 1, 2021.
  9. ^ "Final 2019 DVOA Ratings | Football Outsiders". www.footballoutsiders.com. Retrieved June 1, 2021.
  10. ^ "Final 2020 DVOA Ratings | Football Outsiders". www.footballoutsiders.com. Retrieved June 1, 2021.
  11. ^ "Shawn Mennenga dismissed, Mike Pettine will not return". packers.com. January 29, 2021. Archived from the original on January 29, 2021. Retrieved January 29, 2021.
  12. ^ Shook, Nick (February 10, 2021). "Former Packers DC Mike Pettine hired by rival Bears as senior defensive assistant". NFL.com. Retrieved February 11, 2021.
  13. ^ Simmons, Myles (February 9, 2024). "Vikings add outside linebackers coach to Mike Pettine's title". nbcsports.com. Retrieved February 9, 2024.
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