The Buccaneers will be in search of another new coordinator this offseason after losing their special teams coordinator of the last five years to retirement. Keith Armstrong, 60 years old, informed the team of his intentions to retire today, according to Mike Garafolo of NFL Network.
Armstrong began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at his alma mater, Temple, in 1987. Two years later, Armstrong had coached all three sides of the ball after working a year at Miami (FL) as an assistant defensive backs and special teams coach and a year at Akron as a wide receivers coach. He ended his college coaching tenure with a three-year stint as the secondary coach at Oklahoma State followed by a year at Notre Dame as the linebackers and special teams coach.
Armstrong debuted in the NFL with the Falcons as a safeties coach in 1994, eventually being promoted to secondary coach in 1996. Despite his focus on the defensive side of the ball up to this point in his career, Armstrong officially made the switch to special teams with his move to Chicago. After four years as special teams coach with the Bears, Armstrong spent seven years in the same position in Miami followed by 11 years with the Falcons.
In 2019, Armstrong left Atlanta to reunite with two former connections in Todd Bowles and Bruce Arians. It was a long-awaited reunion after Armstrong and Bowles had played as teammates in college at Temple under Arians in the mid-1980s. Armstrong’s move to Tampa Bay marked his first official coordinator designation.
Bowles is now in the position of having to replace two coordinators. After watching offensive coordinator Dave Canales depart for the head coaching job in Carolina, Bowles will now be tasked with replacing Armstrong, as well.
One of the best Falcons coaches ever
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