Rick Christophel begins his third season as tight ends coach for Tampa Bay in 2021.
In 2020, Christophel helped newly-acquired tight end Rob Gronkowski regain his form after a year away from the NFL, contributing 45 receptions for 623 yards and seven touchdowns. Gronkowski led all NFL tight ends in 2020 with his 13.8 yards per reception, while ranking tied for sixth in receiving touchdowns and 10th in receiving yards. Gronkowski also played a pivotal role in the Buccaneers' Super Bowl LV victory, catching two touchdowns from Super Bowl MVP Tom Brady.
As a tight end unit in 2020, the Buccaneers ranked tied for fourth in receiving touchdowns (11), fourth in yards per reception (12.55), fifth in receiving yards (1,092) and 10th in receptions (87) during the regular season. Christophel's unit also contributed 22 receptions for 285 yards and three touchdowns in Tampa Bay's four-game playoff run to a Super Bowl LV victory.
Under Christophel's watch, the Buccaneers tight end group hauled in 46 receptions for first downs, which ranked ninth in the NFL in 2019. Individually, Cameron Brate had 10 receptions vs. New Orleans, which tied a single-game franchise record for receptions by a tight end. Brate also pushed his career total to 27 touchdown receptions, surpassing Dave Moore (24) for the second-most touchdown catches by a tight end in team history.
Christophel worked most recently with the Arizona Cardinals (2013-17), serving as the team's tight ends coach. In 2017, Christophel helped develop rookie free agent Ricky Seals-Jones – a converted college wide receiver – who caught three touchdown passes, tied for the eighth-most among all rookies. The tight ends group combined for six touchdown receptions and 567 yards in 2015, when the Cardinals posted the No. 1 offense and No. 2 scoring offense in the NFL.
Before joining Arizona, Christophel spent six seasons as the head coach at Austin Peay (2007-12). In his first year, he led the team to seven wins, the most the school had recorded since 1984 and the most by a first-year head coach since 1979.
Prior to being named head coach at Austin Peay, Christophel totaled more than 25 years as an assistant coach at the collegiate level. He spent 12 seasons at Alabama-Birmingham (1995-2006), serving in a variety of roles. He also coached at Mississippi State (1991-94), where he worked alongside Buccaneers Head Coach Bruce Arians, who was the Bulldogs' offensive coordinator from 1993-94.
Christophel began his coaching career at his alma mater, Austin Peay, working as a graduate assistant in 1975, following four years as a starter on the team. After spending three seasons (1976-78) coaching at Highlands High School in Fort Thomas, Kent., he returned to Austin Peay for three seasons (1979-81), before moving on to Southern Arkansas State (1982), Cincinnati (1983), Rice (1984-85) and Vanderbilt (1986-90).
