Cole Popovich enters his second season as the assistant offensive line coach with the Houston Texans in 2024, owning 13 years of coaching experience, including six NFL seasons with the New England Patriots (2015-20), where he won two Super Bowls (LI, LIII).
Under Popovich's guidance the Texans offensive line did not surrender a sack for three consecutive games (Weeks 3-5) in the 2023 season, setting a new franchise-best streak, and paved the way for RB Devin Singletary to post three games this season with over 100 rushing yards, which was tied for the fourth-most in the NFL. As a unit, the offensive line blocked for a Texans offense that generated 41 passing plays of 25 yards or more, which ranked second in the NFL, trailing only the 49ers (45). Behind the offensive line's blocking efforts, rookie QB C.J. Stroud put together one of the best rookie seasons by a quarterback in NFL history, finishing with the second-most passing yards by a rookie in NFL history (4,557) and taking home the AP Offensive Rookie of the Year award. LT Laremy Tunsil was named to his fourth career Pro Bowl and finished the 2023 season with the second-highest pass blocking grade among all offensive linemen (85.4).
In 2022, Popovich served as the offensive line coach at Troy University during a season in which the Trojans finished with a 12-2 record, ranked No. 19 in the AP Top 25 and took down UTSA in the Cure Bowl. Under his tutelage, two-time CoSIDA Academic All-American OL Austin Stidham allowed just 2.0 sacks in 456 pass blocking situations and only committed one penalty on 858 total snaps all season, earning him finalist honors for the 2022 Campbell Trophy. Behind Popovich's offensive line, RB Kimani Vidal rushed for the second-most yards in the Sun Belt Conference regular season and was just one-of-four rushers to reach 1,000 yards on the season. Popovich also mentored OL Jake Andrews to his transition as a center. Under Popovich, Andrews eventually became a fourth-round selection by the New England Patriots.
Popovich spent the 2021 season coaching the offensive line at Franklin High School (Mass.), where he led an offensive line with an average weight of just 214 pounds to a league title, a 10-1 overall record and No. 3 ranking in the state by Max Preps. The Panthers' offensive line paved the way for a Franklin running back to rush for 1,647 yards and 12 touchdowns in 10 games.
Popovich joined the Patriots midway through the 2015 season as a coaching assistant and transitioned to the assistant running backs coach in 2019 before being promoted to co-offensive line coach for the 2020 season. New England captured a pair of Super Bowl titles during his tenure, winning Super Bowl LI vs. the Atlanta Falcons (2016) and Super Bowl LIII vs. the Los Angeles Rams (2018).
The Patriots ranked fourth in the NFL in rushing offense (146.6 yards per game) in 2020, while ranking third in rushes for first downs (143) and eighth in yards per carry (4.67), as Popovich played a key role in developing New England's rushing attack. The Patriots finished the season with the league's fourth-ranked offensive line according to Pro Football Focus.
During Popovich's season assisting with the running backs (2019), RB Sony Michel rushed for 912 yards as the Patriots finished with a 12-4 record and won the AFC East. He helped coach the Patriots' to a top-10 offense in four of his first five NFL seasons.
Before joining the Patriots' staff, Popovich was the offensive line coach and co-offensive coordinator at Minot State for two seasons (2014-15). Previously, he spent one season as a graduate assistant at Utah State (2013), following stops at Fresno City College (2012) and Los Angeles Valley College (2011) to begin his coaching career.
Popovich had an outstanding collegiate career at Fresno State (2004-07), earning Freshman All-American honors in 2004 from ESPN, Sporting News, Football Writers Association of American and College Football News. He was a four-year starter on the offensive line, helping lead the Bulldogs to bowl games all four seasons. In 2007, he earned the Paul Schechter Courage Award, given to the athlete who has overcome obstacles to return to the playing field.
An Oakhurst, Calif., native, Popovich and his wife, Jessica, have two sons, Colton and Coen, and one daughter, Cora.
Pro Bowl Players Coached (1): T Laremy Tunsil (2023)
