Marcus Robertson enters his second stint with the Raiders in 2025, having spent the 2014-16 seasons as the team's defensive backs coach. A 12-year NFL veteran as a player and former All-Pro safety, Robertson brings with him 18 years of NFL coaching experience.
Most recently served as the secondary coach for New Orleans from 2023-24. Last season, Robertson oversaw a unit that ranked second in the NFL in passes defensed (93), fourth in fewest touchdown passes allowed (19), fifth in opponent completion percentage (61.9) and fifth in opponent passer rating (84.8). Robertson coached S Alontae Taylor, who finished third in the NFC and tied for fifth in the NFL in passes defensed (16), while tying S Tyrann Mathieu for the team lead with three interceptions. Robertson also developed rookie CB Kool-Aid McKinstry who played in 15 games with nine starts and recorded 44 tackles and seven passes defensed.
In 2023, Robertson coached a secondary that finished first in the NFL in passes defensed (99), tied for third in the league for interceptions (18) and ranked tenth in opponent passing yards per game (207.3). He coached CB Paulson Adebo, who recorded the third-most passes defensed (18) in the league and led the team with six takeaways. Mathieu recorded four interceptions, tying for the team lead with Adebo. The club's 18 picks were double the team's 2022 total of seven.
Prior to New Orleans, Robertson served as the defensive backs coach for the Arizona Cardinals from 2019-22. Under his tutelage, S Budda Baker was the only safety in the NFL named to the Pro Bowl each of those three seasons. In 2022, Baker ranked seventh among NFL defensive backs with 111 tackles and added seven passes defensed and three takeaways. Robertson also coached CB Marco Wilson who led the Cardinals with three interceptions, including one returned for a touchdown, and ten passes defensed.
In 2021, Baker was named to his third consecutive Pro Bowl at safety and was a second-team All-Pro selection after recording 98 tackles, 2.0 sacks, six tackles for loss, a career-high three INTs, three QB hits, seven passes defensed and a forced fumble. Fellow S Jalen Thompson set career-highs in tackles (120), interceptions (three), passes defensed (seven) and tackles for loss (three). CB Byron Murphy Jr. also posted a career year, tallying four INTs (one returned for a TD) and 12 passes defensed, making him one of just four players in the NFL that season with 4-plus interceptions and 12-plus passes defensed.
In 2020, Baker was a first-team All-Pro selection and was named to the Pro Bowl after tying for the team lead with 118 tackles while also collecting seven tackles for loss, 2.0 sacks, two interceptions, six passes defensed and a forced fumble. The Cardinals finished that season with the tenth ranked pass defense in the NFL (226.4 avg).
In his first season with the Cardinals in 2019, Robertson helped Baker get selected to his first Pro Bowl as a position player after starting all 16 games and totaling 147 tackles, including a league-leading 104 solo tackles.
Robertson helped the 2018 Broncos tie for fifth in the NFL in interceptions (17). The Broncos had 16 different players contribute to the team's 28 takeaways, the second-most players to force a turnover in the NFL (Ind., 17). CB Chris Harris Jr. and safety Justin Simmons each recorded three interceptions.
During Robertson's first season with the Broncos in 2017, Denver ranked fourth in the NFL in pass defense (200.6 avg.) while its secondary accounted for all 10 of the team's interceptions. In addition to CB Aqib Talib being voted to his fifth consecutive Pro Bowl, Harris Jr. was selected as a Pro Bowl alternate and CB Bradley Roby led the team with a career-best 17 passes defensed. Simmons started 13 games for the unit and tied fellow S Darian Stewart for third on the team with 63 tackles.
Prior to the Broncos, Robertson worked in his first stint with the Raiders, serving as the assistant defensive backs coach in 2014 before being promoted to defensive backs coach from 2015-16. During his last two seasons in Oakland, the Raiders ranked eighth in the NFL with 30 interceptions and sixth in the league with 163 passes defensed, while Hall of Fame DB Charles Woodson (2015) along with S Reggie Nelson (2016) were each selected to the Pro Bowl.
In 2015, Robertson helped a young crop of defensive backs step into starting roles and contribute at a high level. He tutored third-year CB David Amerson, who joined the Raiders prior to Week 3 and quickly assumed a starting role. Amerson went on to post a franchise record 26 passes defensed and rank second on the team with four interceptions. Under Robertson's tutelage, second-year CB TJ Carrie was able to assume a dual role as cornerback and safety, helping the team allow only 202.9 passing yards per game over the team's final eight contests despite multiple injuries within the unit. Robertson's unit was also instrumental in helping Oakland's defense finish ninth in the NFL in red zone efficiency (51.7 percent) and 11th in the league in third-down conversion percentage (37.5).
Robertson coached Charles Woodson, as the 18-year NFL veteran earned a Pro Bowl selection in his final NFL campaign. Woodson led the team with five interceptions, his most as a Raider since his rookie season of 1998. He notched four interceptions over a three-game span from Weeks 3-5, helping him earn AFC Defensive Player of the Month honors for October after notching three interceptions over a two-game span. Woodson's five interceptions in 2015 were the most in NFL history by a player in his 18th season or later.
As the assistant defensive backs coach with the Silver and Black in 2014, Robertson tutored Woodson, who led the team in tackles (160) and interceptions (four). Woodson earned Defensive Player of the Week accolades for his performance in Week 12 against the Kansas City Chiefs when he became the first player in NFL history to post 50 career interceptions and 20 sacks. The defensive backs also contributed to a defense that finished in the top half of the league in red zone efficiency (15th, 52.6 percent) and third-down conversion percentage (14th, 38.5).
While serving as secondary coach with Detroit in 2013, Robertson helped the Lions finish seventh in the league with a total of 92 passes defensed. The Lions' defense also excelled in red zone efficiency and third down conversion percentage, thanks in large part to the secondary. The unit led the NFL in third-down conversion percentage (30.3) and finished second in the league in red zone efficiency (38.1 percent). Robertson also tutored CB Chris Houston, who totaled two interceptions in 2013, becoming the first Lions defensive back to record 10 career picks since 2000. He served as defensive assistant/secondary coach in his first season with Detroit in 2012, when the unit finished 10th third-down efficiency (36.5 percent).
Robertson was the secondary coach for the Tennessee Titans from 2009-11, helping the team rank second in the NFL in average passing yards/completion (10.6) during that span. In 2011, the Titans' defense finished eighth in the league in points per game (19.8), fourth in the NFL in passing yards allowed per attempt (6.1) and 10th in red zone efficiency (47.9 percent). In his first season as secondary coach in 2009, the Titans finished eighth in the NFL in interceptions (20) and second in interceptions returned for a touchdown (four).
Robertson's coaching career began as the assistant secondary coach with Tennessee for two seasons (2007-08). In 2008, the Titans secondary boasted three Pro Bowl selections, including CB Cortland Finnegan, S Chris Hope and S Michael Griffin. Overall, Tennessee defensive backs collected 19 interceptions, which ranked second in the NFL in interceptions by a secondary. In Robertson's first season assisting with the secondary, the Titans improved from 27th to 10th in pass defense and from 32nd to fifth in overall yardage allowed.
Robertson served as the Titans director of player development from 2003-06. He spent those four years assisting players with their career transition into and out of the NFL through continuing education, financial education and administering player programs. Robertson and his staff earned the Winston and Shell Award in 2006 for their innovation and commitment to player development in the NFL.
PERSONAL: Native of Pasadena, Calif. …Played 12 seasons as a safety with the Houston Oilers/Tennessee Oilers/Tennessee Titans (1991-2000) and the Seattle Seahawks (2001-02)…Selected by Houston in the fourth round (102nd overall) of the 1991 NFL Draft…Played in 162 career games with 144 starts, totaling 24 interceptions, 1.5 sacks, nine forced fumbles and 11 fumble recoveries…Earned All-Pro honors in 1993 after recording a career-high seven interceptions and three fumble recoveries with one touchdown…Also totaled five interceptions with three fumble recoveries and two touchdowns in 1997…Inducted into the Iowa State Athletic Hall of Fame in 2009…Earned a bachelor's degree in management and organizational development from Bethel University…Robertson and his wife, Holly, have three children, Morgan, Milan and Marcus Andrew (Drew).
