Matt Sheldon enters his second season as Director of Football Research and Strategy with the Las Vegas Raiders in 2023, bringing with him 21 years of experience in coaching, analytics and video.
Sheldon previously worked as a senior analyst for the Denver Broncos in 2021 after serving as the director of football research and strategy with both the New York Jets (2019- 20) and Miami Dolphins (2017-18). He also served as director of analytics and football research for the Chicago Bears from 2015-16. From 2013-14, Sheldon worked as the director of sports solutions development at Zebra Technologies, the official on-field player-tracking provider of the NFL.
Sheldon spent 12 seasons as a coach at the professional level, most recently as linebackers coach for the Montreal Alouettes of the CFL in 2012.
From 2010-11, Sheldon was the assistant defensive backs coach for the Minnesota Vikings. In 2010, the Vikings defense ranked eighth in total defense (312.6) and 10th in passing defense (210.4).
From 2006-09, he coached linebackers with the Buffalo Bills. In 2009, Sheldon's unit helped the Bills defense rank second in passing defense (184.3 yards per game) and interceptions (28) in 2009. Under Sheldon's guidance, LB Paul Posluszny led the Bills in tackles in 2008 and 2009.
Sheldon entered the NFL coaching ranks with the St. Louis Rams from 2001-05, where he was a defensive and special teams assistant. Defensively, he assisted with both the secondary and the linebackers. In his first season, the Rams were NFC champions and played in Super Bowl XXXVI.
Prior to St. Louis, Sheldon served as a defensive graduate assistant at Wisconsin (1997-99), where he assisted with the secondary and helped the Badgers win back-to-back Rose Bowls.
PERSONAL: A former defense back at the University of Minnesota (1987-91), Sheldon earned his bachelor's degree from UMN's Carlson School of Management and earned his MBA from Wisconsin.
