The New York Jets today announced the hiring of quarterbacks coach Matt Cavanaugh and assistant quarterbacks coach John DeFilippo. The team also announced it has retained Ben Kotwica as assistant special teams coach and Brian Smith as quality control/defense. The announcements were made by head coach Rex Ryan.
Cavanaugh, a Youngstown, Ohio, native and Pittsburgh alum, joins the Jets after four seasons as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at the University of Pittsburgh. Cavanaugh, who played 14 NFL seasons for four teams (Patriots, 49ers, Eagles and Giants), has 11 years of NFL coaching experience, serving as an offensive coordinator for the Ravens (1999-2004) and the Bears (1997-98) and as a quarterbacks coach for the 49ers (1996) and Cardinals (1994-95).
He began his coaching career at Pitt as tight ends coach in 1993. As a player, he won a national championship for Pitt in 1976 and Super Bowls as a backup quarterback with the 49ers in 1984 and the Giants in 1990. As a coach, he earned a Super Bowl with the Ravens in 2000.
DeFilippo, a Youngstown, Ohio native and James Madison product, joins the Jets after two seasons as the Raiders quarterbacks coach and two seasons as an offensive quality control assistant with the Giants.
Before entering the NFL coaching ranks, DeFilippo was the QB coach at Columbia for two seasons and a graduate assistant coach at Notre Dame for two seasons, working with wide receivers and tight ends in 2001 and quarterbacks in 2002. He started his coaching career at Fordham in 2000.
DeFilippo was a four-time academic all-conference QB at James Madison while holding NFL summer coaching internships in 1997 (Panthers) and 1998 (Colts).
Kotwica, an Army product who was born in Tinley Park, IL, spent the last two seasons as a coach with the title of quality control–defense/special teams. He came to the Jets after two seasons as the defensive coordinator at the U.S. Military Academy Prep School.
Smith, a Wilmington, Del., native and Massachusetts alum, moves to defense after two seasons with the Jets in charge of quality control–offense. He came to the Jets after three years as a coach at his alma mater, where he tutored the linebackers for one year and the wide receivers for two seasons.
