Tom Rossley
Encyclopedia
Tom Rossley is an American football
coach and former player. He is currently the senior assistant and quarterbacks coach
for the Texas A&M Aggies football
team, a position he has held since the 2008 season. Rossley was the head football coach at Southern Methodist University
from 1991 to 1996, compiling a record of 15–48–3.
in 1972, Rossley worked as an offensive assistant coach at one high school and several colleges. These coaching jobs were at Lake Worth High School, the University of Cincinnati
(his alma mater), Rice University
, Holy Cross
, and Southern Methodist University, respectively. He also spent time coaching in the Canadian Football League
, Arena Football League, and the now defunct United States Football League
.
While at Holy Cross, Rossley worked with future Green Bay Packers
Head Coach Mike Sherman
, where the two became friends and established a successful working relationship. Rossley's job at Southern Methodist led to the head coaching position, after a one-year foray into the NFL
, where he worked as a quarterbacks coach for the Atlanta Falcons
in 1990.
from 1991 to 1996, where he inherited a team only two seasons back from the "Death Penalty"
punishment by the NCAA, where the entire 1987 and 1988 football seasons were canceled. Rossley inherited a team that was 3-19 in the two seasons since the football program was reinstated, but quickly earned Southwest Conference Co-Coach of the Year for impressively turning around the 1-10 Mustangs with a respectable 5-6 record in 1992.
and one year with the Kansas City Chiefs
before being offered the Packers offensive coordinator
position in 2000 by his former colleague Mike Sherman, who was at the time putting together his Green Bay coaching staff.
In early 2006, Sherman was fired by the Packers after a disappointing 4-12 season. The new head coach, Mike McCarthy released much of the coaching staff after he was hired, including Rossley.
named Rossley the quarterbacks coach/senior assistant on January 26, 2008. Under the tutelage of Tom Rossley, quarterback Jerrod Johnson was arguably the nation's most improved player. Johnson shattered numerous school records including an A&M record 28 touchdowns and became the first player in A&M history to surpass 3,000 yards through the air (3,217). Along with posting five 300-yard passing games, Johnson ran for eight touchdowns and 455 yards.
In 2009, Tom Rossley was selected as the FootballScoop Quarterbacks Coach of the Year [powered by Muscle Milk (R)]. Rossley was nominated by his peers and was selected by a panel of coaches, former coaches, and previous winners. Other finalists for the award were Mike Bajakian (Central Michigan), Dana Holgorsen (Houston), and Greg Forest (Cincinnati).
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
coach and former player. He is currently the senior assistant and quarterbacks coach
Quarterbacks coach
A quarterbacks coach is a coach in charge of the quarterbacks in gridiron football. The quarterbacks coach typically operates under the offensive coordinator on a team's coaching staff....
for the Texas A&M Aggies football
Texas A&M Aggies football
The Texas A&M Aggies football team represents Texas A&M University in college football. The Aggies have competed in the Big 12 Conference since the conference's inception in 1996. They will join the Southeastern Conference in July 2012. Texas A&M football has earned one national title and 18...
team, a position he has held since the 2008 season. Rossley was the head football coach at Southern Methodist University
Southern Methodist University
Southern Methodist University is a private university in Dallas, Texas, United States. Founded in 1911 by the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, SMU operates campuses in Dallas, Plano, and Taos, New Mexico. SMU is owned by the South Central Jurisdiction of the United Methodist Church...
from 1991 to 1996, compiling a record of 15–48–3.
Early career
Rossley started his coaching career in 1969 at the high school level. After serving as a graduate assistant coach at the University of ArkansasUniversity of Arkansas
The University of Arkansas is a public, co-educational, land-grant, space-grant, research university. It is classified by the Carnegie Foundation as a research university with very high research activity. It is the flagship campus of the University of Arkansas System and is located in...
in 1972, Rossley worked as an offensive assistant coach at one high school and several colleges. These coaching jobs were at Lake Worth High School, the University of Cincinnati
University of Cincinnati
The University of Cincinnati is a comprehensive public research university in Cincinnati, Ohio, and a part of the University System of Ohio....
(his alma mater), Rice University
Rice University
William Marsh Rice University, commonly referred to as Rice University or Rice, is a private research university located on a heavily wooded campus in Houston, Texas, United States...
, Holy Cross
College of the Holy Cross
The College of the Holy Cross is an undergraduate Roman Catholic liberal arts college located in Worcester, Massachusetts, USA...
, and Southern Methodist University, respectively. He also spent time coaching in the Canadian Football League
Canadian Football League
The Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football....
, Arena Football League, and the now defunct United States Football League
United States Football League
The United States Football League was an American football league which was in active operation from 1983 to 1987. It played a spring/summer schedule in its first three seasons and a traditional autumn/winter schedule was set to commence before league operations ceased.The USFL was conceived in...
.
While at Holy Cross, Rossley worked with future Green Bay Packers
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...
Head Coach Mike Sherman
Mike Sherman
Michael Francis "Mike" Sherman is the head coach of the Texas A&M Aggies football team. Prior to coaching the Aggies, he served as the head coach of the Green Bay Packers from the 2000–05 seasons. Sherman led the Packers to five consecutive winning seasons from 2000–04 and three divisional titles...
, where the two became friends and established a successful working relationship. Rossley's job at Southern Methodist led to the head coaching position, after a one-year foray into the NFL
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
, where he worked as a quarterbacks coach for the Atlanta Falcons
Atlanta Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are a member of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
in 1990.
SMU
Rossley was the head coach at Southern Methodist UniversitySouthern Methodist University
Southern Methodist University is a private university in Dallas, Texas, United States. Founded in 1911 by the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, SMU operates campuses in Dallas, Plano, and Taos, New Mexico. SMU is owned by the South Central Jurisdiction of the United Methodist Church...
from 1991 to 1996, where he inherited a team only two seasons back from the "Death Penalty"
Southern Methodist University football scandal
The Southern Methodist University football scandal was an incident in which the football program at Southern Methodist University was investigated and punished for massive violations of NCAA rules and regulations. The most serious violation was the maintenance of a slush fund used for "under the...
punishment by the NCAA, where the entire 1987 and 1988 football seasons were canceled. Rossley inherited a team that was 3-19 in the two seasons since the football program was reinstated, but quickly earned Southwest Conference Co-Coach of the Year for impressively turning around the 1-10 Mustangs with a respectable 5-6 record in 1992.
NFL
After leaving the Mustangs, Rossley spent two years as an assistant with the Chicago BearsChicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
and one year with the Kansas City Chiefs
Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. They are a member of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Originally named the Dallas Texans, the club was founded by Lamar Hunt in 1960 as a...
before being offered the Packers offensive coordinator
Offensive coordinator
An offensive coordinator is a member of the coaching staff of a gridiron football team who is in charge of the offense. Generally, along with his defensive counterpart, he represents the second level of command structure after the head coach...
position in 2000 by his former colleague Mike Sherman, who was at the time putting together his Green Bay coaching staff.
In early 2006, Sherman was fired by the Packers after a disappointing 4-12 season. The new head coach, Mike McCarthy released much of the coaching staff after he was hired, including Rossley.
Texas A&M
Texas A&M head coach Mike ShermanMike Sherman
Michael Francis "Mike" Sherman is the head coach of the Texas A&M Aggies football team. Prior to coaching the Aggies, he served as the head coach of the Green Bay Packers from the 2000–05 seasons. Sherman led the Packers to five consecutive winning seasons from 2000–04 and three divisional titles...
named Rossley the quarterbacks coach/senior assistant on January 26, 2008. Under the tutelage of Tom Rossley, quarterback Jerrod Johnson was arguably the nation's most improved player. Johnson shattered numerous school records including an A&M record 28 touchdowns and became the first player in A&M history to surpass 3,000 yards through the air (3,217). Along with posting five 300-yard passing games, Johnson ran for eight touchdowns and 455 yards.
In 2009, Tom Rossley was selected as the FootballScoop Quarterbacks Coach of the Year [powered by Muscle Milk (R)]. Rossley was nominated by his peers and was selected by a panel of coaches, former coaches, and previous winners. Other finalists for the award were Mike Bajakian (Central Michigan), Dana Holgorsen (Houston), and Greg Forest (Cincinnati).