Dante Scarnecchia
Los Angeles, California, U.S. | |
Career information | |
---|---|
College: | California Western |
Career history | |
As a coach: | |
| |
Career highlights and awards | |
Dante Scarnecchia (born February 14, 1948) is a former
Scarnecchia has spent the majority of his professional coaching career with the Patriots, joining them in 1982, only leaving in 1989 to coach with the Indianapolis Colts, before returning to the Patriots two years later. He remained with the team as a coach until his retirement following the 2013 season.[1] He was rehired as the offensive line coach on February 16, 2016.[2] He retired on January 29, 2020,[3] and was inducted into the Patriots Hall of Fame in 2023.
Playing career
Scarnecchia attended
Coaching career
College
Scarnecchia began his coaching career in 1970 with his alma mater California Western University as their offensive line coach, a position he held through 1972. From 1973 to 1974, Scarnecchia was the assistant offensive line and assistant defensive backfield coach for Iowa State University. In 1975, he began a two-year stint with Southern Methodist University, first as a graduate assistant before being promoted to offensive line coach upon the hiring of head coach Ron Meyer in 1976. From 1977 through 1978, Scarnecchia served as offensive line coach for the University of the Pacific before spending a year at Northern Arizona University in the same capacity. He returned to Southern Methodist in 1980 as offensive line coach, spending two seasons there before following head coach Ron Meyer to the Patriots.
NFL
Scarnecchia joined the Patriots in
Scarnecchia retired after the 2013 season, and was replaced by Dave DeGuglielmo. After retiring as a coach, Scarnecchia continued working with the Patriots as a consultant; he had private workouts with the two offensive linemen the Patriots drafted in 2014, Bryan Stork and Cameron Fleming.[4] After the Patriots fired DeGuglielmo after the 2015 season, the Patriots and Scarnecchia expressed mutual interest in having Scarnecchia return to coach the offensive line in 2016.[5] Scarnecchia subsequently rejoined the Patriots staff prior to the 2016 season, overseeing a resurgent offensive line that only allowed 16 sacks.[6] On February 5, 2017, Scarnecchia was part of the Patriots coaching staff that won Super Bowl LI. In the game, the Patriots defeated the Atlanta Falcons by a score of 34–28 in overtime.[7] Scarnecchia won his fifth Super Bowl title when the Patriots defeated the Los Angeles Rams in Super Bowl LIII.[8] Scarnecchia retired in 2020.[9] On April 6, 2023, Robert Kraft announced that Scarnecchia would be inducted into the Patriots Hall of Fame.[10]
Personal life
Scarnecchia is married to Susan, with whom he has two children.[11] His son Steve has followed him into the NFL, having held positions with the New York Jets, the Denver Broncos and the Atlanta Falcons,[12] and in 2021, returned to the Jets as the chief of staff to head coach Robert Saleh.[13]
References
- ^ Price, Christopher. "Longtime Patriots offensive line coach Dante Scarnecchia retiring". WEEI. Retrieved September 23, 2016.
- ^ "Sources: Dante Scarnecchia agrees to return as Pats' O-line coach". ESPN. February 17, 2016. Retrieved September 23, 2016.
- ^ "Patriots Offensive Line Coach Dante Scarnecchia to Retire". www.patriots.com. Retrieved April 6, 2023.
- ^ "Dante Scarnecchia played role in Pats' offensive line draft picks". www.bostonherald.com. Retrieved February 10, 2016.
- ^ "Sources: Dante Scarnecchia, Patriots have mutual interest in return as OL coach". www.bostonherald.com. Retrieved February 10, 2016.
- ^ "Sources: Dante Scarnecchia agrees to return as Pats' O-line coach".
- ^ "Super Bowl LI - New England Patriots vs. Atlanta Falcons - February 5th, 2017". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved September 2, 2017.
- ^ "Super Bowl LIII - Los Angeles Rams vs. New England Patriots - February 3rd, 2019". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved February 19, 2023.
- ^ "Longtime Pats OL coach Dante Scarnecchia to retire". NFL.com. Retrieved April 6, 2023.
- ^ Bird, Hayden (April 7, 2023). "Robert Kraft surprises Dante Scarnecchia by announcing his Patriots Hall of Fame induction". Boston.com. Retrieved October 24, 2023.
- ^ Fiske, Angelique (January 30, 2017). "Super Sunday a family affair for Scarnecchias". www.patriots.com. Retrieved October 24, 2023.
- ^ Reiss, Mike (February 3, 2017). "Scarnecchia father and son will reconnect at dinner on Friday". ESPN.com. Retrieved October 24, 2023.
- ^ Williams, Charean (February 12, 2021). "Report: Jets hire Steve Scarnecchia as chief of staff". Pro Football Talk. NBC Sports. Retrieved October 24, 2023.