Bob Bicknell joins the Raiders in 2024 as a senior offensive assistant, bringing with him 31 years of coaching experience, including 16 seasons in the NFL coaching ranks.
Bicknell comes to the Silver and Black after spending the 2024 season with the New England Patriots as the tight ends coach. Bicknell led a tight end unit that combined for 113 receptions for 1,170 yards (10.4 avg.) and five touchdowns in 2024. New England's unit ranked fifth in receptions and sixth in receiving yards among tight end units in the NFL. Bicknell's tight end group was led by TE Hunter Henry, who finished the season with 66 receptions for 674 receiving yards (10.2 avg.) and two touchdowns. Among tight ends in the NFL, his 66 receptions ranked tight for sixth and his 674 receiving yards ranked eighth.
Before his time in New England, Bicknell spent two seasons with the New Orleans Saints (2022-23) as a senior offensive assistant under Dennis Allen. Over his two seasons with the team, the Saints offense averaged 335.5 total yards per game, the 16th most in the NFL over that span. The Saints offense also scored 20.7 points per game over Bicknell's two seasons with the team, the 16th best mark in the league.
From 2018-20, Bicknell served as wide receivers coach of the Cincinnati Bengals, where he was instrumental in the development of a pair of young wideouts in Tyler Boyd and Tee Higgins. Bicknell's tutelage in his first season in Cincinnati in 2018 helped Boyd make a big jump in his third campaign, when he finished with 76 receptions for 1,028 yards and seven touchdowns – the first 1,000-yard season of his career. A second round draft pick out of Clemson in 2020, Higgins finished his rookie season under Bicknell with 67 receptions for 908 yards and six touchdowns – his 67 catches tying a Bengals rookie record at the time.
Prior to his arrival in Cincinnati, Bicknell spent the 2017 season as the wide receivers coach at Baylor University, where he helped sophomore Denzel Mims to career-highs in catches (61), receiving yards (1087) and TDs (eight) – a receiver that was a second-round draft pick (NYJ) just two years later.
Bicknell served as wide receivers coach for four seasons under Head Coach Chip Kelly with the San Francisco 49ers (2016) and Philadelphia Eagles (2013-15). In San Francisco in 2016, Bicknell helped WR Jeremy Kerley logged career highs in receptions (64) and TDs (three). During his Eagles tenure (2013-15), Bicknell was a part of an Eagles offensive unit that set franchise records in points, touchdowns, passing yards, completions, and completion percentage during his time with the team. In 2015, Bicknell coached a receiving corps that became just the third group in Eagles franchise history to feature three players with 50-or-more receptions in the same season, after accomplishing the same feat in 2014. Second-year WR Jordan Matthews had 85 receptions, which tied for the fourth-most in Eagles single-season history, and led the team with 997 receiving yards and eight touchdowns.
In 2014, Bicknell helped WR Jeremy Maclin, who suffered a torn ACL in training camp a year prior, return to the field and establish career highs in receptions (85), receiving yards (1,318) and touchdowns (10) en route to his first career Pro Bowl selection. Additionally, under Bicknell's watch in 2014, Matthews went on to rank second all-time among Eagles rookies in receptions (67), receiving yards (872) and receiving touchdowns (eight). In 2013 WR DeSean Jackson set career highs in receptions (82) and receiving yards (1,332), and tied his career high with nine touchdowns as he was selected to his third Pro Bowl under Bicknell. Fellow WR Riley Cooper set career-highs in receiving yards (835) and touchdowns (eight).
From 2010-12, Bicknell was on the Buffalo Bills' coaching staff, serving as tight ends coach from 2010-11 and wide receivers coach in 2012. In 2012 he helped WR Stevie Johnson to his third consecutive 1,000-yard receiving season as he led the team with 79 receptions for 1,046 yards and six touchdowns. In 2011, Bicknell coached TE Scott Chandler, who caught six touchdowns, tying the franchise record for a tight end in a single season.
Prior to his arrival in Buffalo, Bicknell spent the previous three years with the Kansas City Chiefs as the tight ends coach (2009), offensive line coach (2008) and assistant offensive line coach (2007). His 2009 tight end unit was led by TE Tony Moeaki, who finished with 47 catches (t-14th among TEs) for 556 yards (15th among TEs) and three touchdowns. In 2008, Bicknell's offensive line paved the way for a rushing offense that ranked tied for the AFC lead with 4.8 yards per carry while Chiefs G Brian Waters earned the fourth Pro Bowl selection of his career.
Before joining NFL coaching, Bicknell served as the offensive line coach at Temple University in 2006. Prior to his time at Temple, he spent eight years in NFL Europe (1998- 2005), including stints as the offensive coordinator/offensive line coach for the Cologne Centurions (2004-05) and Berlin Thunder (2001-03). During his time in Europe, Bicknell won three consecutive World Bowls as part of the coaching staff of the Thunder (2000-01) and Frankfurt Galaxy (1999). In 2002, Bicknell oversaw a Berlin offense that led the league with 3,704 yards from scrimmage and 2,667 passing yards. The offense was anchored by Brian Waters, who was a guard on the Thunder's offensive line at the time. In his first season as offensive coordinator, Bicknell's unit ranked second in the league with 3,243 yards from scrimmage on the way to the team's second straight World Bowl title in 2001.
Bicknell began his coaching career at Boston University, where coached for five years (1993-97), coaching safeties (1993), running backs (1994) and linebackers (1995-97).
PERSONAL: A native of Holliston, Mass., Bicknell was a three-year letterman as a tight end at Boston College (1989-91)…He comes from a football family, as his father, Jack, was the head coach at Boston College from 1981-90 and spent 13 seasons as a head coach in NFL Europe before retiring in 2007…His Brother, Jack Jr., is currently the offensive line coach at West Virginia University…Bicknell and his wife, Stacey, have two children – Gabriella and Grace.
