Marc Trestman Named XFL Head Coach in Tampa Bay
March 5, 2019 - XFL (XFL) News Release
TAMPA, FLA. - The XFL today announced that Marc Trestman, a former head coach in the NFL and CFL, where he was two-time Coach of the Year, has been named the head coach and general manager of the new XFL team in Tampa Bay.
"We are pleased to welcome Marc Trestman to the XFL and excited about the opportunity to leverage his three decades of coaching experience as we reimagine the game of football," said XFL Commissioner & CEO, Oliver Luck. "Marc is a two-time Coach of the Year who also led his teams to three CFL Grey Cup championships. He's just the kind of offensive-minded coach whose style will fit the up-tempo, fast-paced game we will deliver to fans when the XFL launches next February."
"I am very excited to be on the ground floor with Oliver, his team, and the other coaches across the XFL to help reimagine football," said Trestman. "I started my coaching career in Florida while I was in law school, and personally know the passion and love for the game that football fans have in the Tampa Bay area and across the state. I can't wait to begin putting a coaching staff together and building a team that will play disciplined, fundamentally sound and exciting football come February. Many thanks to Vince McMahon and Commissioner Luck for this tremendous opportunity."
Trestman joins Bob Stoops (Dallas), Pep Hamilton (Washington, D.C.) and Jim Zorn (Seattle) as the XFL head coaches named to date.
Over his 35-year career, Trestman has served in a variety of positions at the major college and pro levels, including head coach of the Montreal Alouettes (2008-2012), Chicago Bears (2013-2014) and Toronto Argonauts (2017-2018). He won the CFL's Grey Cup three times, twice leading the Alouettes (2009 and 2010) and once guiding the Argonauts (2017) to championships.
Trestman is the only head coach in Alouettes history to win back-to-back Grey Cups, and he was also named CFL Coach of the Year in 2009 and 2017. In his rookie year, as head coach of the Bears, the team finished second in the league in scoring, fifth in offensive yardage, and broke team records in total yards, passing yards, passing touchdowns and first downs made. Trestman also has the distinction of having coached an MVP in both the NFL (Rich Gannon, 2002) and CFL (Anthony Calvillo, 2008 & 2009).
Trestman began his coaching career in 1981 as a volunteer assistant coach at the University of Miami. In 1983 he was elevated to the Hurricanes' quarterbacks coach as Miami won its first national championship. His college coaching resume also includes two seasons as offensive coordinator at NC State (2005-2006).
In 1985, Trestman joined the NFL's coaching ranks as the Minnesota Vikings running backs coach, a position he held for two seasons. In 1987 he became the quarterbacks coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and later held that position with the Vikings (1990-1991) and Detroit Lions (1997). He served as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for the Cleveland Browns (1988-1989), San Francisco 49ers (1995-1996), Arizona Cardinals (1998-2000) and Oakland Raiders (2001-2003). Trestman's NFL coaching career also includes a season as assistant head coach for the Miami Dolphins (2004) and two seasons as offensive coordinator of the Baltimore Ravens (2015-2016).
A Minnesota native, Trestman earned a B.A. in political science from the University of Minnesota and a J.D. from the University of Miami Law School and has been a member of the Florida Bar since 1983.
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