Joe DeCamillis, with over 25 years of NFL coaching experience, is in his fifth season with the Jaguars, including his third under Head Coach Doug Marrone. The 2019 season is DeCamillis’ 30th in the NFL.
Last season, DeCamillis oversaw the special teams unit that finished first in the NFL in opposing KR avg. (17.8) and second in opposing PR avg. (5.0). The 2018 special teams unit was ranked seventh in the NFL in the Dallas Morning News’ annual special teams rankings. Dallas Morning News columnist Rick Gosselin uses a points system based on 22 categories to rank each of the 32 NFL teams’ special teams units at the end of each season. K Josh Lambo converted 19 of 20 PATs and 19 of 21 FGs before finishing the season on the reserve/injured list. Lambo, who finished with a 90.5 FG percentage in 2018, became the first kicker in franchise history to post back-to-back seasons with a field goal percentage of at least 90.0. Rookie P Logan Cooke, who was selected in the seventh round of the 2018 NFL Draft, recorded a franchise-record 37 punts inside the 20, the third-most in the NFL and the most among rookies. His 41.3 net punting avg. was the highest for a single season in franchise history. In Week 15 vs. Washington, WR Dede Westbrook scored a TD on a 74-yard punt return, marking the third-longest punt return in franchise history. Westbrook finished the season with a 14.0 punt return avg., the fifth-best in the NFL among players with at least 10 punt returns. Westbrook joined Kansas City’s Tyreek Hill as the only two players in the NFL last season to record at least 500 receiving yards and one punt return TD.
In 2017, DeCamillis oversaw a midseason kicking change as Lambo, who was acquired by Jacksonville prior to the team’s Week 7 matchup at Indianapolis, finished the season 19 of 20 on FGs (95.0 pct.), including 12 of 12 at TIAA Field. Lambo’s 95.0 field goal percentage was the best mark in Jaguars single-season history among kickers with at least 10 FG attempts. P Brad Nortman landed a career-high 29 punts inside the 20, which was tied for fifth in franchise history. DeCamillis’ unit also converted on all three fake punt tries, one of which RB Corey Grant rushed 56 yards for a TD against the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 10. The special teams unit found success using three different long snappers due to injury.
DeCamillis spent 2015-16 as the special teams coordinator for the Denver Broncos. In 2016, DeCamillis’ unit ranked seventh in the NFL in both opponents’ punt return average (6.8) and opponents’ kickoff return average (20.2), while finishing 11th in the NFL in kick return average (22.9).
DeCamillis’ units have accounted for 29 total kick return scores (18 PR, 11 KR) and 43 takeaways during his 24 seasons coaching special teams in the NFL.
Before returning to Denver, DeCamillis spent two seasons (2013-14) as Chicago’s assistant head coach/special teams, instructing a unit that allowed a league-low 18.3 yards per kick return while generating two TD returns (1 PR, 1 KR) and three takeaways. In 2013, Devin Hester turned in one of the best seasons of his career under DeCamillis, posting his second-highest kickoff return average (27.6) and fourth-highest punt return average (14.2).
Prior to coaching with the Bears, DeCamillis served as special teams coordinator with Dallas from 2009-12. During that time, the Cowboys tied for the most punt return TDs (6) in the NFL, including a franchise-record three in 2010 by the rookie duo of Dez Bryant (2) and Bryan McCann (1).
As Jacksonville’s special teams coach from 2007-08, DeCamillis’ coverage unit ranked second in the NFL in average opponent field position after kickoffs (25.3-yard line) with 34 opponent returns being downed inside the 20-yard line.
DeCamillis had a 10-year run coaching special teams for the Atlanta Falcons (1997-2006)—the first seven years under Head Coach Dan Reeves, whom he worked for in his first two NFL coaching roles with the Broncos and New York Giants.
He coached special teams for the Giants from 1993-96, as the club accounted for the fourth-most kick return scores (6) in the NFL during that period. David Meggett tied for second in the league with three punt return TDs during his final two years with the Giants (1993-94), ranking fourth in the NFL with his 11.3-yard punt return average in that two-year span.
DeCamillis began his NFL career in Denver in 1989 assisting with the club’s football administration for two years before serving as a defensive quality control coach from 1991-92 under Reeves.
An all-state quarterback and wrestler at Arvada (Colo.) High School, DeCamillis went on to become an All-America wrestler at the University of Wyoming. DeCamillis, who was born on June 29, 1965, is married to Dana, and the couple has two daughters, Caitlin and Ashley.
