Bill Sheridan begins his first season with the Buccaneers – and eighth overall in the league – in 2012, where he will serve as defensive coordinator. 

Sheridan, a 31-year coaching veteran, joins Tampa Bay following two seasons (2010-11) coaching linebackers with the Miami Dolphins. 

As a member of Miami’s defensive staff, Sheridan helped lead a formidable linebacking corps that included Cameron Wake, Jason Taylor, Karlos Dansby and Kevin Burnett. Wake recorded 22.5 sacks in the two seasons under Sheridan’s instruction, including 14.0 in 2010, which ranked third in the NFL, was the eighth highest total in Dolphins franchise history and helped make way for Wake’s Pro Bowl berth. In 2011, Burnett and Dansby each recorded over 100 tackles, 2.0 sacks and 10 tackles for loss. 

Prior to his stint in Miami, Sheridan served five seasons with the New York Giants as linebackers coach (2005-08) and defensive coordinator (2009). He helped mold middle linebacker Antonio Pierce into a Pro Bowler and leader of the 2007 Super Bowl Championship defensive unit. 

In 2007, the Giants ranked seventh in the NFL in total defense, eighth in rushing defense and 11th in passing defense, while leading the league in sacks. The unit then had a dominant four-game run in the playoffs, allowing a postseason-low 16.3 points per game. The season culminated with a victory in Super Bowl XLII over the New England Patriots, where the Giants held the highest-scoring offense in NFL history to just 14 points. 

The following season the Giants’ defense improved to fifth overall, ninth in rushing defense and eighth in passing defense. In Sheridan’s lone season as the defensive coordinator, the Giants ranked 13th in total defense, 14th against the rush and 15th versus the pass. 

Other Giants linebackers who benefitted from Sheridan’s tutelage included Carlos Emmons, Brandon Short, LaVar Arrington, Kawika Mitchell, Chase Blackburn and Mathias Kiwanuka, whom Sheridan guided through a transition from defensive end. 

Before joining the professional coaching ranks, Sheridan had extensive coaching experience with some of the most iconic collegiate football programs, having served as linebackers coach (2002) and defensive line coach (2003-04) with Michigan, safeties and special teams coach (2001) with Notre Dame and linebackers coach (1998-2000) with Michigan State. 

In his time at Michigan, the team carried a 29-9 record, while earning two trips to the Rose Bowl and a 2002 victory over Florida in the Outback Bowl. They also finished ranked in the AP Top 25 in all three seasons (No. 9 in 2002, No. 6 in 2003 and No. 14 in 2004). He helped coach LB Victor Hobson and DT Gabe Watson to All-Big 10 honors. 

In his one year directing the safeties at Notre Dame, he helped tutor Gerome Sapp and Abram Elam, who both went on to NFL careers. 

In 1999, Sheridan coached under Nick Saban as Michigan State went on to a 10-2 record, a No. 7 national ranking, and a win over Florida in the Florida Citrus Bowl. 

Sheridan began his coaching career at Shrine High School in Royal Oak, Michigan, from 1981-84. He was then a graduate assistant at Michigan for two seasons before coaching linebackers at three schools - Maine, Cincinnati and Army - from 1987-95. In 1996 and 1997, Sheridan coached the defensive backs at West Point. 

Sheridan is a native of Detroit, Michigan, and earned four letters as a linebacker at Grand Valley State University. He and his wife, Jaycine, have four children: Joe, Nick, Mark and Natalie.

SHERIDAN AT A GLANCE