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JOE AVEZZANO

3 Time NFL Special Teams Coach of the Year; AFL's Dallas Desperados Inaugural Head Coach

Joe Avezzano, a 13-year NFL coaching veteran, has been named the NFL Special Teams Coach of the Year three times (1991, 1993, 1998). Avezzano joined head coach Norv Turner's Oakland Raiders staff in 2002.

He spent the past two seasons as head coach of the Dallas Desperados. In 2002, he served in the dual role of the Desperados' head coach and the Dallas Cowboys' special teams coach. Avezzano also has head coaching experience at the college level, having been Oregon State's head coach from 1980-84.

Avezzano is the only three-time winner of the NFL Special Teams Coach of the Year award voted on by NFL special teams coaches. His units consistently finished near the top of league rankings in all four major kicking game categories--punt return average, kickoff return average, punt coverage and kickoff coverage--while having a penchant for making big plays, blocking 23 kicks and returning 18 punts and kickoffs for touchdowns.

He and coach Norv Turner coached together with the Cowboys from 1991-93 where they helped Dallas win back-to-back Super Bowls following the '92 and '93 seasons. Avezzano's units also assisted the Cowboys in earning another Super Bowl following the 1995 season.

In 1998, the Cowboys were one of only two teams in the NFL to be ranked in the top 12 in all four major kicking game categories, including leading the league in kickoff coverage (18.5), earning Avezzano his third Special Teams Coach of the Year award. Avezzano won his second NFL Special Teams Coach of the Year award in 1993 when his units helped Dallas finish as the only team in the NFL to rank in the Top 10 in the league in all four major kicking game categories.

Avezzano was honored by his NFL special teams coaching peers for the first time in 1991 when the Cowboys led the NFL in points scored on special teams (20 points) and in kickoff return average (21.7). In addition, the Cowboys placed a player in the top three in the NFL in both punt and kickoff return averages in the same season for the first time in team history.

As head coach of the Arena Football League's Desperados from 2002-2003, Avezzano posted an 18-15 record and guided the club to two postseason appearances and a division title in the franchise's first two years of existence.

Prior to entering the NFL coaching ranks, Avezzano was offensive line coach at Texas A&M from 1985-88, during which time the Aggies won three Southwest Conference titles and two Cotton Bowls. He also served as offensive coordinator for Texas A&M in 1988.

From 1980-84, Avezzano was Oregon State's head coach. Before taking over the Beavers program, he spent three seasons as offensive coordinator at Tennessee. Avezzano was offensive line coach at the University of Pittsburgh from 1973-76, helping the '76 Panthers to the national championship.

Avezzano began his coaching career at Washington High School in Massillon, Ohio, and then coached at Florida State, his alma mater, in 1968 and at Iowa State from 1969-72. The Yonkers, New York, native played guard at Florida State and was drafted by the Boston Patriots. He was a college teammate of Raiders assistant coach and Pro Football Hall of Famer Fred Biletnikoff.

Joe emcees for local, regional and national television and radio for sports, country music and morning talk shows. He makes numerous public appearances and does speaking engagements each year to schools, civic organizations, clinics, conventions and corporations. He chaired, produced and emceed charity fundraisers for Texas Special Olympics, The New Music Festival of North Texas, and the National Kidney Foundation of North Texas raising millions of dollars. His intensely enthusiastic and energetic personality and his desire to help others succeed, make him a perfect candidate for any event.

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