(AP Photo/Gary Landers)
The NFLPA Collegiate Bowl sidelines will once again feature head coaches long on experience and heavy on success at the professional level.
Jeff Fisher and Marvin Lewis have been selected to lead the American and National teams for the 2022 NFLPA Collegiate Bowl. The 10th annual game will take place on January 29, 2022 at the historic Rose Bowl Stadium in California and air live on NFL Network.
This will be Lewis’s second consecutive appearance as head coach in the game after he led the National Team to a 30-20 victory in the 2020 NFLPA Collegiate Bowl. Known for his defensive prowess, the former longtime Cincinnati Bengals head coach has had success in the college and professional ranks.
In 1996, Lewis was hired as defensive coordinator of the Baltimore Ravens. During his six-year tenure, the former Idaho State standout became a household name as he guided the team’s record-setting defense during its victorious run to Super Bowl XXXV.
Lewis took over as head coach of the Bengals in 2003, beginning a 16-year stretch that featured seven playoff appearances, four division titles and saw him earn 2009 AP Coach of the Year honors. He still holds the franchise record for most wins as head coach with 131.
“My first experience as a NFLPA Collegiate Bowl head coach was very rewarding,” said Lewis, who currently serves as a special advisor for Arizona State’s football team. “I’m excited to once again have the opportunity to lead and share wisdom with some of the country’s best college players.”
For Fisher, this marks a return to Pasadena after playing in – and winning – the 1978 and 1979 Rose Bowls as a member of the University of Southern California football team. The Los Angeles native went on to earn a championship ring in Super Bowl XX as a defensive back and return specialist with the Chicago Bears.
Following several stints as a defensive coach for the Bears, Philadelphia Eagles, Los Angeles Rams and San Francisco 49ers, Fisher took over as head coach of the then-Houston Oilers during the 1994 season.
He went on to coach 16 more years for the franchise, which changed their name to Tennessee Titans and made a run to the Super Bowl XXXIV under Fisher during the 1999 season. After achieving six playoff appearances, three division titles and 2008 Maxwell Club Coach of the Year honors with the Titans, Fisher moved on to coach the St. Louis Rams from 2012 to 2016.
He now serves as an advisor for Tennessee State’s football team, which is coached by his former Titans player Eddie George. Fisher looks forward to taking on a similar mentor-leadership role for the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl participants.
“Games like the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl play a big part in preparing the next generation of football players for success at the professional level,” Fisher said. “I’m honored to be a head coach this year and look forward to working with these talented prospects.”
Stay tuned for more updates as we roll out our full coaching staffs — filled with legendary NFL players and coaches — in the lead-up to the 2022 NFLPA Collegiate Bowl.