Matt Feeney enters his third season in the NFL and the third with the Silver and Black. After spending the past two seasons as a defensive quality control coach, Feeney enters 2024 as the team's assistant defensive backs coach.
In 2023, Feeney supported a defense that ranked ninth in the league for fewest points allowed per game (19.5) and 12th for fewest passing yards allowed per game (212.4). Once Antonio Pierce took over as interim head coach in Week 9, Feeney took over the linebacker room on an interim basis. In Feeney's second week leading linebackers, Robert Spillane won his first-ever AFC Defensive Player of the Week title after finishing with seven tackles, one tackle for loss, one pass defensed, and a game-winning interception in Week 10 versus the New York Jets. Spillane went on to set single-season career highs with 148 total tackles (10th-most in the NFL), 3.5 sacks and three interceptions. Feeney also saw LB Divine Deablo register 100+ tackles for the first time in his career.
In 2022, Feeney worked closely with the linebackers and aided in the development of undrafted rookie linebacker Luke Masterson, who finished with 50 tackles (26 solo), ranking third-most in the NFL among undrafted rookies and second-most in a single season in Raiders' history by an undrafted rookie. With Feeney's assistance, the Raiders saw four undrafted free agents play significant snaps on defense in Masterson, CB Sam Webb, S Isaiah Pola-Mao and LB Darien Butler.
Prior to joining the Silver and Black, Feeney spent three seasons (2019-21) as the defensive coordinator and inside linebackers coach at the University of Akron.
During his tenure at Akron, Feeney mentored LB John Lako and CB Alvin Davis Jr. to All-Mid-American Conference honors in 2019. Lako received first-team All-MAC recognition as he was the Zips' defensive leader for the second consecutive season, finishing with 138 tackles and recording double-digit tackles in nine games. Davis was the top defensive back on the team, recording 79 tackles and garnering third-team All-MAC honors after being named a first-team All-MAC selection in 2018 and second-team selection in 2017. In 2020, DB AJ Watts was named third-team All-MAC.
Prior to that, Feeney spent two seasons at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. He served as the team's defensive coordinator in 2018 after coaching the linebackers in 2017.
In 2018, Feeney's defense was ranked No. 1 in the Southern Conference in scoring defense (18.5), pass defense (172.0) and fumbles recovered (20). Under Feeney's tutelage, DL Isaiah Mack earned Southern Conference Defensive Player of the Year honors after finishing second in the conference and 19th in the FCS with 8.5 sacks. In total, Feeney saw six players from his defensive unit earn All-Conference honors. Mack and CB Kareem Orr both signed with the Tennessee Titans as undrafted free agents in 2019.
In 2017, Feeney's defense ranked No.1 in the Southern Conference and No. 25 in the FCS in total defense (326.4). He mentored LB Tae Davis, who converted from safety and finished his senior season with 74 tackles in nine games and was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Cleveland Browns.
Feeney entered the collegiate coaching rankings with his alma mater, John Carroll University, where he coached linebacker from 2014-16. During each of his three seasons, the Blue Streaks defense finished in the top-15 among all Division III schools.
In 2016, Feeney helped LB Mason McKenrick earn All-OAC first team honors and be named a first-team All-America selection. LB Andy Bryan earned first-team All-OAC honors in 2015 under Feeney's guidance. In 2014, he coached LB Kevin Cope to All-American honors, while LB Jimmy King earned second-team All-League honors.
PERSONAL: Feeney was a standout linebacker and team captain at John Carroll University from 2010-13, earning the Gene Slaughter Most Outstanding Linebacker Award as a senior as the top linebacker in the Ohio Athletic Conference…He earned his degree in marketing… Feeney and his wife, Katie, have three daughters.
