# Ken Zampese

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American football coach (born 1967)

Ken Zampese Zampese with the Washington Football Team in 2020 Tampa Bay Buccaneers Title Senior offensive assistant, Pass game specialist Personal information Born (1967-07-19) July 19, 1967 (age 58) Santa Monica, California, U.S. Career information Positions Wide receiver, Return specialist High school San Diego (CA) University College San Diego (1985-1988) Career history USC (1990–1991) Graduate assistant Northern Arizona (1992–1995) Wide receivers coach (1992–1994) Offensive coordinator (1995) Miami (OH) (1996–1997) Quarterbacks coach & passing game coordinator Philadelphia Eagles (1998) Offensive assistant Green Bay Packers (1999) Offensive assistant & offensive quality control coach St. Louis Rams (2000–2002) Offensive assistant (2000) Wide receivers coach (2001) Wide receivers coach & passing game coordinator (2002) Cincinnati Bengals (2003–2017) Quarterbacks coach (2003–2015) Offensive coordinator (2016–2017) Cleveland Browns (2018) Quarterbacks coach Atlanta Legends (2019) Offensive coordinator & quarterbacks coach Florida (2019) Quality control analyst Washington Football Team / Commanders (2020–2023) Quarterbacks coach (2020–2022) Senior offensive advisor / game management (2023) Atlanta Falcons (2024–2025) Senior offensive assistant Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2026–present) Senior offensive assistant/pass game specialist Coaching profile at Pro Football Reference

**Kenneth Zampese** (born July 19, 1967) is an American professional [football](/source/American_football) coach who currently serves as a senior offensive assistant and pass game specialist for the [Tampa Bay Buccaneers](/source/Tampa_Bay_Buccaneers) of the [National Football League](/source/National_Football_League) (NFL). Zampese began his coaching career at the [University of San Diego](/source/University_of_San_Diego), his alma mater, and has held a variety of college and NFL coaching positions. He is the son of former NFL coach [Ernie Zampese](/source/Ernie_Zampese).

## Family background

Zampese's father, [Ernie Zampese](/source/Ernie_Zampese), spent 36 years as a coach in the NFL with the [New York Jets](/source/New_York_Jets), [San Diego Chargers](/source/San_Diego_Chargers), [Dallas Cowboys](/source/Dallas_Cowboys), [New England Patriots](/source/New_England_Patriots), [Washington Redskins](/source/Washington_Redskins), and both the [Los Angeles Rams](/source/Los_Angeles_Rams) and [St. Louis Rams](/source/St._Louis_Rams).[1] Ernie Zampese is known best for his role on the Chargers' offensive coaching staff in the 1970s and 1980s, when he helped engineer the famed [Air Coryell](/source/Air_Coryell) offense. The offense is still considered one of the best passing offenses in NFL history—featured Hall of Famers [Dan Fouts](/source/Dan_Fouts), [Charlie Joiner](/source/Charlie_Joiner) and [Kellen Winslow](/source/Kellen_Winslow), along with [John Jefferson](/source/John_Jefferson_(American_football)) and [Wes Chandler](/source/Wes_Chandler). These dynamic players operated in a scheme that led the league in passing yards an NFL-record six consecutive seasons (1978–1983).

Zampese attended the [University of San Diego](/source/University_of_San_Diego) from 1985 to 1988, where he played on the football team as a [wide receiver](/source/Wide_receiver), [kick returner](/source/Kick_returner) and [punt returner](/source/Punt_returner). He was also a member of the [Sigma Pi](/source/Sigma_Pi) fraternity.[2]

## Career

### Early coaching

Zampese began his NFL coaching career in 1998 as an offensive assistant with the [Philadelphia Eagles](/source/Philadelphia_Eagles) under head coach [Ray Rhodes](/source/Ray_Rhodes). In 1999, Rhodes became head coach of the [Green Bay Packers](/source/Green_Bay_Packers), and Zampese followed. He again worked as offensive assistant, mentored by quarterbacks coach [Mike McCarthy](/source/Mike_McCarthy). Packer quarterbacks of that era were [Brett Favre](/source/Brett_Favre), [Matt Hasselbeck](/source/Matt_Hasselbeck) and [Aaron Brooks](/source/Aaron_Brooks_(American_football)).

### St. Louis Rams

Zampese joined the [St. Louis Rams](/source/St._Louis_Rams) in 2000 as an offensive assistant under head coach [Mike Martz](/source/Mike_Martz). He was promoted the following season to WRs coach, and again the next season to WRs coach/passing game coordinator. During his stint in St. Louis, Zampese assisted Martz with the passing game of what became known as "[The Greatest Show on Turf](/source/The_Greatest_Show_on_Turf)" – a nickname for the Rams' high-powered, record-setting offense. It was here that he gained additional exposure to the "3-Digit" passing system, pioneered by his father and expanded to new heights under Martz.

Quarterback [Kurt Warner](/source/Kurt_Warner) (and backups [Trent Green](/source/Trent_Green) and [Marc Bulger](/source/Marc_Bulger)), Hall of Fame RB [Marshall Faulk](/source/Marshall_Faulk), and WRs [Isaac Bruce](/source/Isaac_Bruce), [Torry Holt](/source/Torry_Holt), [Az-Zahir Hakim](/source/Az-Zahir_Hakim) and [Ricky Proehl](/source/Ricky_Proehl) made up what is widely considered the most prolific offense in NFL history.

Although "The Greatest Show on Turf" began its record-setting run a year prior to Zampese's arrival in St. Louis – the [1999 Super Bowl XXXIV Rams' Super Bowl championship](/source/Super_Bowl_XXXIV) season – it lasted three seasons (1999–2001), and he was with the Rams for the final two seasons of the run (2000–01).

### Cincinnati Bengals

Zampese joined the [Cincinnati Bengals](/source/Cincinnati_Bengals) in 2003 as quarterbacks coach at a time when the team was searching for a quarterback to lead the franchise. He aided in the scouting and evaluation of the quarterbacks in the [2003 NFL draft](/source/2003_NFL_draft), as the team used its No. 1 overall pick to select 2002 [Heisman Trophy](/source/Heisman_Trophy)-winning quarterback [Carson Palmer](/source/Carson_Palmer) of Southern California. On September 15, 2017, Zampese was fired by the Bengals after the team started the season 0–2 and did not score a single touchdown.[3]

### Cleveland Browns

On January 12, 2018, Zampese was hired by the [Cleveland Browns](/source/Cleveland_Browns) as quarterbacks coach, reuniting him with Browns head coach and former Bengals offensive coordinator [Hue Jackson](/source/Hue_Jackson).[4] After the 2018 season, during which Jackson was fired, he was not retained by new head coach [Freddie Kitchens](/source/Freddie_Kitchens).[5]

### Atlanta Legends

In the [2019 AAF season](/source/2019_AAF_season), the [Atlanta Legends](/source/Atlanta_Legends) were plagued by various offensive coaching resignations, including head coach [Brad Childress](/source/Brad_Childress) and offensive coordinator [Michael Vick](/source/Michael_Vick) before the season, and quarterbacks coach/play caller [Richard Bartel](/source/Richard_Bartel) after three games.[6] Zampese was hired by the Legends starting with the fourth game against the [Arizona Hotshots](/source/Arizona_Hotshots).[7]

### Washington Football Team / Commanders

In 2020, Zampese joined the [Washington Football Team](/source/Washington_Football_Team) as their quarterbacks coach.[8] In 2023, Zampese was given a senior offensive advisor/game management role.[9] He was not retained following the firing of [Ron Rivera](/source/Ron_Rivera) and hiring of new head coach [Dan Quinn](/source/Dan_Quinn_(American_football)).

### Atlanta Falcons

Zampese was hired as a senior offensive assistant for the [Atlanta Falcons](/source/Atlanta_Falcons) in 2024.[10]

### Tampa Bay Buccaneers

On February 2, 2026, the [Tampa Bay Buccaneers](/source/Tampa_Bay_Buccaneers) hired Zampese to serve as a senior offensive assistant under head coach [Todd Bowles](/source/Todd_Bowles).[11]

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** ["Innovative former NFL OC Ernie Zampese dies at age 86"](https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/34481952/innovative-former-nfl-oc-ernie-zampese-dies-age-86). *[ESPN.com](/source/ESPN.com)*. Associated Press. August 29, 2022. Retrieved August 29, 2022 – via Reuters.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** Smith, Andrew (Winter 2002). ["Sigma Pi on the Gridiron"](https://web.archive.org/web/20160809213123/http://www.enivation.com/SigmaPi/archive/Emerald/2002/SP_EMERALD_VOL_88_NO_1_WINTER_2002.pdf) (PDF). *The Emerald of Sigma Pi*. Vol. 88, no. 1. pp. 4, 26–27. Archived from the original on August 9, 2016.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** Patra, Kevin (September 15, 2017). ["Bengals fire offensive coordinator Ken Zampese"](https://www.nfl.com/news/bengals-fire-offensive-coordinator-ken-zampese-0ap3000000845642). [National Football League](/source/National_Football_League). Retrieved March 3, 2019.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** Cabot, Mary Kay (January 12, 2018). ["Browns hiring Ken Zampese as quarterbacks coach in reunion with Hue Jackson"](https://www.cleveland.com/browns/index.ssf/2018/01/browns_hiring_ken_zampese_as_q.html). *[The Plain Dealer](/source/The_Plain_Dealer)*. Retrieved March 3, 2019.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** Clark, Dave (January 9, 2019). ["Report: Ken Zampese won't be part of Freddie Kitchens' Cleveland Browns staff"](https://www.cincinnati.com/story/sports/nfl/2019/01/09/report-quarterbacks-coach-ken-zampese-out-cleveland-browns/2528932002/). *[The Cincinnati Enquirer](/source/The_Cincinnati_Enquirer)*. Retrieved March 3, 2019.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** Crabtree, Curtis (February 25, 2019). ["Atlanta AAF team loses another offensive coach as Rich Bartel resigns"](https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2019/02/25/atlanta-aaf-team-loses-another-offensive-coach-as-rich-bartel-resigns/). [Profootballtalk.com](/source/Profootballtalk.com). Retrieved March 3, 2019.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** Perloff, Andrew [@andrewperloff] (March 3, 2019). ["Interesting @TheAAF note... former Bengals OC, Browns QBs coach Ken Zampese came aboard to run offense for @AafLegends this week and helped QB Aaron Murray lead them win tonight. Zampese was with Andy Dalton for long time and Baker Mayfield last year"](https://twitter.com/andrewperloff/status/1102412469471977472) ([Tweet](/source/Tweet_(social_media))). Retrieved March 3, 2019 – via [Twitter](/source/Twitter).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** ["Redskins Announce Coaching Staff"](https://www.redskins.com/news/announcements/redskins-announce-coaching-staff). *Redskins.com*. Retrieved January 15, 2020.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** Washington Commanders Public Relations (February 28, 2023). ["Commanders announce staff changes"](https://www.commanders.com/news/commanders-announce-staff-changes). *Commanders.com*. Retrieved March 1, 2023.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-10)** [Williams, Charean](/source/Charean_Williams) (February 3, 2024). ["Falcons announce six more assistants, including Tim Berbenich, Ken Zampese"](https://www.nbcsports.com/nfl/profootballtalk/rumor-mill/news/falcons-announce-six-more-assistants-including-tim-berbenich-ken-zampese). *NBC Sports*. Retrieved August 23, 2024.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-11)** ["Former UNC QB T.J. Yates joining Tampa Bay Buccaneers' coaching staff"](https://www.tarheeltimes.com/article164257.aspx). *tarheeltimes.com*. Retrieved February 7, 2026.

## External links

- [Ken Zampese](https://x.com/KenZampese) on [X](/source/X_(social_network))

- [Tampa Bay Buccaneers profile](https://www.buccaneers.com/team/coaches-roster/ken-zampese)

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Ken Zampese](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ken_Zampese) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ken_Zampese?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.