The Washington Redskins have hired former Indianapolis Colts defensive coordinator Greg Manusky as their outside linebackers coach.*
Greg Manusky's football career is coming full circle.
The Washington Redskins announced on Jan. 22, 2016, they have hired Greg Manusky as outside linebackers coach. Take a look at Manusky's NFL career through the years.
In 1988, the Washington Redskins signed the undrafted linebacker out of Colgate, sparking a 12-year NFL career. In 2001, one year after he retired as a player, Manusky was hired to guide the Washington linebackers in his first full-time coaching job.
And, after 15 seasons as an NFL coach – nine of which as a defensive coordinator – Manusky is coming back to D.C., this time as the Redskins' outside linebackers coach.
The team formally announced the hiring on Friday.
Manusky's hiring gives the Redskins a coach solely for the outside linebackers for the first time since Brian Baker served that role during the 2014 season. The team did not retain Baker for the 2015 season, however, as defensive coordinator Joe Barry, linebackers coach Kirk Olivadotti, defensive line coach Robb Akey and defensive quality control coach Chad Grimm primarily split those duties.
Manusky is set to guide a young and talented group of outside linebackers, highlighted by Ryan Kerrigan, a 2012 Pro Bowl selection who had a career-best 13.5 sacks in 2014 and led the team with 9.5 sacks last season. The team is also returning second-year pass rusher Preston Smith, whose eight sacks in 2015 led all NFL rookies, and 2014 second-round pick Trent Murphy, who had 33 tackles and a career-best 3.5 sacks last season.
The team could also elect to re-sign free-agent-to-be outside linebacker Junior Galette, a six-year Stillman product who collected a combined 22 sacks with the New Orleans Saints from 2013-14 before signing with the Redskins this past offseason. He would suffer a season-ending Achilles injury in practice just before the start of the regular season, however.
Manusky has spent the last nine seasons as defensive coordinator with the Indianapolis Colts (2012-15), San Diego Chargers (2011) and San Francisco 49ers (2007-10).
He spent his first year in coaching with the Redskins in 2001 before moving on to the Chargers as their linebackers coach from 2002 to 2006.
Manusky's hiring also represents a reunion with Barry – who was linebackers coach under Manusky with the Chargers in 2011 – and Redskins general manager Scot McCloughan, who was GM of the 49ers from 2008-09 when Manusky was the team's defensive coordinator.
Manusky was a standout linebacker at Colgate University, where he was named the Colonial League's Defensive Player of the Year in 1987. He played in 178 games in the NFL with the Redskins, Vikings and Chiefs, collecting 205 tackles.
He played in 39 games with 15 starts with the Redskins from 1988 to 1990, where he registered 161 tackles.
MANUSKY FOOTBALL TIMELINE
2012-15: Defensive coordinator, Indianapolis Colts
2011: Defensive coordinator, San Diego Chargers
2007-10: Defensive coordinator, San Francisco 49ers
2002-2006: Linebackers coach, San Diego Chargers
2001: Linebackers coach, Washington Redskins
2000: Volunteer linebackers and special teams coach, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
1994-99: Linebacker, Kansas City Chiefs
1991-93: Linebacker, Minnesota Vikings
1988-90: Linebacker, Washington Redskins
1984-97: Linebacker, Colgate
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