Bill Lazor

{{Short description|American football player and coach (born 1972)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=January 2019}} {{Infobox NFL biography | name = Bill Lazor | image = Bill Lazor.jpg | alt = Waist-up photograph shot from a high angle of Lazor on a football sideline wearing a white polo shirt with a Nike logo, tan pants and a headset and holding a play sheet in his left hand and a marker in his right | caption = Lazor coaching for Virginia in 2012 | current_team = Houston Texans | position = Senior defensive assistant | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1972|6|14|mf=y}} | birth_place = Scranton, Pennsylvania, U.S. | death_date = | death_place = | high_school = Scranton (PA) Central | college = Cornell (1990-1993) | career_position =qb | career_number = | pastcoaching = * Cornell (1994–1998) Offensive assistant * Cornell (1999-2000) Quarterbacks coach & passing game coordinator * Buffalo (2001–2002) Offensive coordinator & quarterbacks coach * Atlanta Falcons ({{nfly|2003}}) Offensive quality control coach * Washington Redskins ({{nfly|2004}}–{{nfly|2005}}) Offensive assistant * Washington Redskins ({{nfly|2006}}–{{nfly|2007}}) Quarterbacks coach * Seattle Seahawks ({{nfly|2008}}–{{nfly|2009}}) Quarterbacks coach * Virginia (2010–2012) Offensive coordinator & quarterbacks coach * Philadelphia Eagles ({{nfly|2013}}) Quarterbacks coach * Miami Dolphins ({{nfly|2014}}–{{nfly|2015}}) Offensive coordinator * Cincinnati Bengals ({{nfly|2016}}) Quarterbacks coach * Cincinnati Bengals ({{nfly|2017}}–{{nfly|2018}}) Offensive coordinator * Penn State (2019) Analyst * Chicago Bears ({{nfly|2020}}–{{nfly|2021}}) Offensive coordinator * Houston Texans ({{nfly|2023}}–present) ** Senior offensive assistant (2023–2025) ** Senior defensive assistant (2026–present) | highlights = | regular_record =  | playoff_record =  | overall_record =  | pfrcoach = LazoBi0 }}

'''William V. Lazor''' (born June 14, 1972) is an American football coach who is the senior defensive assistant for the Houston Texans of the National Football League (NFL). Lazor has previously served as the quarterbacks coach for the Washington Commanders, Seattle Seahawks, and Philadelphia Eagles. He is also the former offensive coordinator of the Miami Dolphins, Cincinnati Bengals, and Chicago Bears. He played college football as a quarterback for Cornell University from 1990 to 1993.

==Playing career== Lazor played football at Cornell University. He was the team’s starting quarterback from 1991 to 1993. In 28 career games played, Lazor threw for 5,697 yards, 34 touchdowns, and 26 interceptions. He was inducted to the Cornell University Athletics Hall of Fame in 2012.<ref> https://cornellbigred.com/sports/football/roster/bill-lazor/14811</ref><ref> https://cornellbigred.com/honors/hall-of-fame/bill-lazor/536/kiosk</ref>

==Coaching career== ===College football=== After graduating from Cornell, Lazor stayed with the football program, serving as an offensive assistant from 1994 to 1998, before being promoted to quarterbacks coach and passing game coordinator in 1999, a role he held for two seasons. He spent 2001-2002 as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for Buffalo.<ref> https://www.bleachernation.com/bears/2020/01/17/getting-to-know-new-bears-offensive-coordinator-bill-lazor/#</ref><ref> https://virginiasports.com/news/2013/01/29/uva-assistant-football-coach-bill-lazor-leaving-for-nfl</ref> ===Atlanta Falcons=== Lazor entered the NFL coaching ranks in 2003 under head coach Dan Reeves as the Atlanta Falcons offensive quality control coach.

===Washington Redskins=== Lazor spent four seasons with the Washington Redskins, two of which were spent as the quarterbacks coach for head coach Joe Gibbs. During the 2004 and 2005 seasons, Lazor served as an offensive assistant.

===Seattle Seahawks=== Lazor coached quarterbacks for two seasons with the Seattle Seahawks under head coaches Mike Holmgren and Jim Mora.

===University of Virginia=== On January 28, 2010, Lazor was officially announced as the new offensive coordinator of the University of Virginia Cavaliers.<ref>[http://www.virginiasports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=17800&ATCLID=204876429/ London Names Bill Lazor Offensive Coordinator] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120312093837/http://www.virginiasports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=17800&ATCLID=204876429%2F |date=March 12, 2012 }}</ref>

===Philadelphia Eagles=== On January 29, 2013, Lazor accepted a position with the Philadelphia Eagles as the quarterbacks coach, coaching alongside Chip Kelly.

===Miami Dolphins=== On January 15, 2014, Lazor was named offensive coordinator of the Miami Dolphins. He was fired on November 30, 2015.

===Cincinnati Bengals=== On January 18, 2016, Lazor was named quarterback coach for the Cincinnati Bengals, replacing recently promoted Ken Zampese.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cincyjungle.com/2016/1/18/10787360/bill-lazor-joins-bengals-as-quarterbacks-coach-jacob-burney-hired-as|title=Bill Lazor (QB), Jacob Burney (DL) join Bengals|date=January 18, 2016|publisher=}}</ref>

On September 15, 2017, Lazor was named the Bengals offensive coordinator, taking the place of the recently fired Zampese. Lazor was promoted to full time offensive coordinator for the Bengals on January 3, 2018.

On January 11, 2019, Lazor was fired by the Bengals.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.cincyjungle.com/2019/1/11/18178844/bengals-rumors-fire-oc-bill-lazor-cincinnati-coaching-staff-zac-taylor|title=Bengals fire OC Bill Lazor, per report|date=January 11, 2019}}</ref>

===Chicago Bears=== On January 16, 2020, Lazor was hired by the Chicago Bears as their offensive coordinator, replacing Mark Helfrich.<ref>{{cite web|last=Mayer|first=Larry|url=https://www.chicagobears.com/news/nagy-announces-additions-to-coaching-staff|title=Nagy announces additions to coaching staff|publisher=Chicago Bears|date=January 16, 2020|accessdate=January 16, 2020}}</ref>

On November 13, 2020, head coach Matt Nagy relinquished play-calling duties to Lazor. The Bears offense noticeably improved, increasing from scoring an average of 19 points per game in the first 9 weeks of the season, compared to the 27 points per game in the latter 5 weeks where Lazor was in charge.<ref>{{cite web|title=Nagy relinquishing play-calling duties to Lazor|url=https://www.chicagobears.com/news/matt-nagy-relinquishing-play-calling-duties-to-offensive-coordinator-bill-lazor|author=Mayer, Larry|website=ChicagoBears.com|date=November 13, 2020}}</ref>

Although Nagy resumed calling plays in 2021,<ref>{{Cite web|last=Chamberlain|first=Gene|title=Matt Nagy Takes Back Bears Play-Calling Duties|url=https://www.si.com/nfl/bears/news/bears-coach-matt-nagy-resumes-calling-plays-for-2021|access-date=2021-09-29|website=Sports Illustrated|language=en}}</ref> Lazor reassumed the responsibility again by Week 4.<ref>{{cite news|last=Barbieri|first=Alyssa|url=https://bearswire.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/bears/2021/10/03/bears-matt-nagy-confirms-bill-lazor-called-plays-against-lions-week-4/75956808007/|title=Matt Nagy confirms what we already knew: Bill Lazor called plays for Bears|publisher=Bears Wire|newspaper=USA Today|date=October 3, 2021|access-date=December 13, 2025}}</ref>

Lazor was let go by the Bears after the 2021 season.

===Houston Texans=== On February 24, 2023, Lazor was hired to be the Houston Texans Senior offensive assistant.<ref>{{cite news |title=Houston Texans Announce 2023 Coaching Staff |url=https://www.houstontexans.com/news/houston-texans-announce-2023-coaching-staff|website=HoustonTexans.com |date=February 24, 2023 |access-date=February 24, 2023}}</ref>

==Personal life== Lazor earned his bachelor's degree in Human Development and Family Studies from Cornell in 1994. He is married to wife Nicole, with whom he has three kids, Nolan, Marin, and Charlotte.

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== * [https://www.houstontexans.com/team/coaches-roster/bill-lazor Houston Texans bio] * [https://web.archive.org/web/20111211213456/http://www.virginiasports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=17800 Virginia Cavaliers bio]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lazor, Bill}} Category:1972 births Category:Living people Category:American football quarterbacks Category:Atlanta Falcons coaches Category:Buffalo Bulls football coaches Category:Cincinnati Bengals players Category:Cornell Big Red football players Category:Cornell Big Red football coaches Category:Players of American football from Scranton, Pennsylvania Category:Seattle Seahawks coaches Category:Virginia Cavaliers football coaches Category:Washington Redskins coaches Category:Miami Dolphins coaches Category:Philadelphia Eagles coaches Category:Cincinnati Bengals coaches Category:Chicago Bears coaches Category:Houston Texans coaches Category:NFL offensive coordinators Category:Coaches of American football from Pennsylvania