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AAF Atlanta Legends

Childress Adds Experienced Group to Coach Legends Along with Vick

October 11, 2018 - Alliance of American Football (AAF)
Atlanta Legends News Release


ATLANTA, Ga. "" The Atlanta Legends of the Alliance of American Football have named nine additional assistant coaches to join head coach Brad Childress' inaugural staff. Michael Vick had been previously announced as the Legends' offensive coordinator.

The Legends have added Kevin Coyle (defensive coordinator/secondary), Jim Hofher (quarterbacks/wide receivers), Pete Metzelaars (offensive line), John Johnson (running backs), Corey Woods (tight ends) and Leroy Thompson (defensive line) to the coaching staff in the new professional football league. Miles Robinson (offensive assistant) and Tyler Anderson (defensive assistant) will serve in quality control roles.

"This was a very unique opportunity for me to get back into coaching. I've been privileged in my 30-year coaching career to be around some of the top coaching minds," said Childress. "When I was looking to put together my staff in Atlanta, I wanted to find a good mix of experience. This group of coaches in Atlanta have coached and played in the NFL and coached and played in Arena football. These coaches are going to give our players a great opportunity to excel at each of their positions."

"Offensively, we're going to be a fast paced, up tempo variation of the west coast offense that Michael Vick played in and will now coach in, stretching people from sideline to sideline. Defensively, we're going to be physical and aggressive. We're going to have a fun brand of football for our Atlanta Legend fans."

Kevin Coyle, Defensive Coordinator / Secondary

A 17-year veteran of the NFL, Coyle will join the Legends after serving as a defensive analyst for LSU. The former Miami Dolphins defensive coordinator most recently spent two seasons coaching the secondary for the Cincinnati Bengals. In 2016, Cincinnati finished just one interception short of the NFL lead with 17, and defensive backs accounted for 13 of those picks. He also brings college experience serving as a defensive coordinator at Fresno State, Maryland, Syracuse and Holy Cross.

Jim Hofher, Quarterbacks / Wide Receivers

Hofher owns 37 years of collegiate coaching experience, including 13 years as a head coach in Division I. He is in his third season as an offensive analyst for the Iowa State football staff. Hofher has served as a head coach twice during his career, leading Buffalo for five seasons from 2001-05 and Cornell for eight seasons in 1990-97. He holds the highest winning percentage by a coach in Cornell's modern history and he led Buffalo to the program's first-ever wins over opponents from the Big East (Rutgers and UConn), Conference USA (Central Florida) and independent schools (Army).

Pete Metzelaars, Offensive Line

Metzelaars enjoyed a 16-year playing career at tight end in the NFL with the Seattle Seahawks, Buffalo Bills, Carolina Panthers and Detroit Lions. He played in four Super Bowls with the Bills. Metzelaars coached in the NFL 11 years after his playing career, winning a Super Bowl with the Indianapolis Colts. He also has coached high school and in NFL Europe.

John Johnson, Running Backs

Johnson has coached at the collegiate level since 2009. He was a three-year letterman at fullback at Oklahoma State and was a member of three teams that played in bowl games before getting his start at Quachita Baptist. He also enjoyed stops at Oklahoma Baptist, Tulsa and South Dakota State. He helped coach running backs as part of a summer internship with the Kansas City Chiefs in the summer of 2014, where he was under the direction of Legends' coach Brad Childress.

Corey Woods, Tight Ends

Woods participated in The Bill Walsh Internship program for six weeks with the Chicago Bears this past summer spending time with Brad Childress. He coached offensive line at Limestone College in 2017. He spent four years as the offensive line and tight ends coach at Kutztown University from 2012-16. A four-year standout on the offensive line at the University of Akron, Woods was named to the All-MAC Team as a junior. He signed with the New England Patriots in 2011, and then with the Edmonton Eskimos of the Canadian Football League before joining the staff at Kutztown.

Leroy Thompson, Defensive Line

Thompson played an astounding 13 seasons in the AFL, and is considered one of the league's all-time greatest linebacker/fullbacks. Thompson was invited by the San Diego Chargers in the 2015 training camp to work as the assistant to defensive line coach Don Johnson through the Bill Walsh NFL Minority Coaches Internship Program. In 2012 and 2013, Thompson was also a member of the Indianapolis Colts' coaching staff through the same program. He was called an up-and-coming defensive line coach on the NFL level by then Colts' coach Chuck Pagano. Thompson also has coached five seasons in the AFL. Thompson was a defensive line standout at his alma mater Delaware State. In 1992, he was named to the Black College All-America team, sharing defensive line honors with All-Pro New York Giant Michael Strahan, who played collegiately at Texas Southern.

The Atlanta Legends will play home games at Georgia State Stadium. Fans looking to secure tickets early for the inaugural season can purchase season ticket seat deposits for $50 at AtlantaLegends.com.

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