Patrick Graham enters his fourth season as defensive coordinator with the Silver and Black, bringing with him 16 years of experience in the NFL, including six years as a defensive coordinator.
In his NFL career, Graham has coached in the playoffs in eight seasons, winning seven division titles, two conference championships and one Super Bowl (XLIX).
Last season, Graham oversaw a defense that ranked in the top 15 in total yards allowed per game (333.1), rushing yards allowed per game (116.9) and passing yards allowed per game (216.2). He led a defense that saw 18 different players record at least a half-sack, the most players with at least a half-sack in Raiders history in a single season.
LB Robert Spillane had a career year with 158 tackles, third most in the NFL and the most in a single season in team history. DE Maxx Crosby earned his third-straight Pro Bowl selection under Graham's guidance, and fourth overall, after recording 45 tackles, 17 tackles for loss, 7.5 sacks and five passes defensed in only 12 games. Crosby was part of a defensive line unit that recorded 20 passes defensed, the second most in the NFL among D-line units. Graham helped the passing defense allow under 150 net passing yards in five games this season, tied for the third most of such games in the NFL in 2024.
In 2023, Graham oversaw a defensive unit that ranked 9th overall in points allowed per game (19.5), a 17-place improvement from 2022. Similarly, Graham's total defense in 2023 finished 15th in the league after previously holding the 28th spot in 2022. Over the second half of the season, the Raiders defense was one of the best units in the NFL. From Week 9-18, the defense led the NFL in points allowed (16.0), ranked tied for 10th in the NFL in takeaways (14) and ranked tied for third in sacks (30). Under Graham's guidance, DE Maxx Crosby finished the season ranked tied for first in the NFL in tackles for loss (23), sixth in sacks (14.5) and third among NFL defensive lineman in tackles (90), en route to his third-straight Pro Bowl, second-career AP Second Team All-Pro selection and third-consecutive PFWA All-AFC selection. Graham also saw free agent acquisition LB Robert Spillane have a career year with 82 tackles (66), 3.5 sacks, three interceptions, four passes defensed, seven tackles for loss, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery.
In his first season with the Raiders, Graham oversaw a unit that scored three defensive touchdowns, tied for the third-most in the NFL in 2022. His defense ranked 19th in rushing yards allowed per game (122.8) and saw a slight improvement in tackles for loss (68) and stuffs (39) from the 2021 season.
Under Graham's guidance, DE Maxx Crosby was named to his second career Pro Bowl after registering career highs in tackles (88), tackles for loss (22) and sacks (12.5). Crosby's 88 tackles are the most in a single season by a Raiders defensive lineman and he became only the second defensive lineman in franchise history to record 20+ tackles for loss in a single season. Graham also aided in the development of several young players who got significant playing time, including undrafted rookie CB Sam Webb, who posted 33 tackles, the fifth-most in the NFL among undrafted rookies. LB Luke Masterson 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.
Graham served his second stint with the New York Giants from 2020-21, serving as the club's assistant head coach/defensive coordinator.
In 2021, Graham oversaw a defense that tied for fourth in the league in passes defensed (83), a mark that ranked 12th in franchise history, and tied for 12th in interceptions (15). Graham's defense was effective against the pass, holding teams to 225.8 passing yards per game, which ranked 15th in the NFL.
Under Graham's guidance, the Giants defense improved significantly in 2020, ranking ninth with 357 points allowed, which marked 94 fewer than their total in 2019. The defense was 12th in the NFL by allowing 349.3 yards per game after finishing 27th at 377.3 yards the previous season. It marked the club's best defensive finish since 2016 when they ranked 10th in the league with 339.7 yards a game. Additionally, the Giants defense allowed an average 5.3 yards a play in 2020, the NFL's ninth-lowest figure.
After placing 20th in the NFL in 2019, Graham helped the rushing defense rank 10th 111.4 yards a game and mark a season best since 2016 when they tied for third at 88.6 rushing yards a game. The pass defense improved from 28th in the NFL in 2019 to tie for 16th with 237.9 yards allowed a game, the team's best since 2013 when the Giants allowed 223.3 yards a game and ranked 10th in the league.
Graham saw the Giants record 40 sacks in 2020, their highest total since 2014. DE Leonard Williams led the team with 11.5 sacks, the most by a Giants' player since OLB Jason Pierre-Paul's 14.5 in 2014.
With Graham's direction, veterans ILB Blake Martinez, Pro Bowl CB James Bradberry and S Logan Ryan excelled in their first season in a new defense. Martinez led the Giants and ranked third in the NFL with 151 tackles (86 solo). Bradberry started all 15 games in which he played, leading the team with three interceptions and tied for second in the NFL with 18 passes defensed. Ryan, a cornerback most of his career, started 13 games at safety in Graham's defense and finished second on the team with 92 tackles (67), one sack, one interception, nine passes defensed, three forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries.
Graham earned his first defensive coordinator role with the Miami Dolphins in 2019. He led a unit that had a constantly evolving cast of players because of roster transactions and injuries. The secondary's best player, former first-round draft choice Minkah Fitzpatrick, was traded to Pittsburgh on Sept. 17. CB Xavien Howard played in five games before going on injured reserve with a knee injury. S Reshad Jones, a two-time Pro Bowler, and Bobby McCain appeared in four and nine games, respectively, before they were placed on the injured reserve list on the same day.
Prior to joining the Dolphins, Graham spent the 2018 season as the Green Bay Packers inside linebackers coach and defensive run game coordinator. Under his tutelage, Martinez totaled 144 tackles (91) and a career-high five sacks. Green Bay's defense limited opponents to 4.3 yards per rush, which ranked 13th in the league.
In his first stint with the Giants, Graham coached the defensive line from 2016-17. In 2017, Graham helped Pierre-Paul lead the team with 8.5 sacks and DT Damon Harrison posted 76 tackles, which led all NFL defensive tackles.
In 2016, Graham's unit was instrumental in the Giants defense becoming the most improved in the NFL. The team allowed 158 fewer points and 1,290 fewer yards than it did in 2015. Their 17.8 points per game allowed was second in the NFL and the team's best since 2002.
Graham began his NFL coaching career in New England, where he spent seven seasons with the Patriots (2009-15). He was a coaching assistant in 2009 before being promoted to defensive assistant in 2010 and linebackers coach in 2011. Graham moved to defensive line from 2012-13 before returning to linebackers in 2014-15.
During his tenure in New England, the Patriots won the AFC East title all seven season, the conference championship twice and Super Bowl XLIX. In his five years as a position coach (2011-15), New England led the NFL in takeaways (150) and was tied for fourth in sacks (214).
Graham's linebacker unit helped the team finish ninth in total yards allowed (339.4) in 2015 and 10th in points allowed (19.7). LB Jamie Collins tied a franchise record with five forced fumbles, earning the first Pro Bowl selection of his career and was named second-team All-Pro.
In 2014 Patriots finished their season with a Super Bowl victory against Seattle. Graham's linebackers helped the team's defense rank eighth in the league in points allowed (19.6) and ninth in rushing yards allowed (104.3) despite LBs Jerod Mayo and Don't'a Hightower missing 14 games combined due to injury. Collins led the team with 115 tackles (74) and also totaled four sacks and four forced fumbles.
Graham worked with the defensive line for the second straight year in 2013. Despite DT Vince Wilfork suffering a season ending injury in Week 4, New England's defense finished fifth in the league in sacks (48) and 10th in points allowed (21.1). The team's five top sack totals all came from defensive linemen, topped by DE Chandler Jones (11.5).
In 2012, Graham helped Wilfork earn his fifth Pro Bowl selection and first-team All-Pro honors, after totaling 59 tackles (41) with three sacks, two forced fumbles and six fumble recoveries. Additionally, Graham helped Rob Ninkovich transitioned from linebacker to defensive end in 2012, while totaling eight sacks.
Graham's first season as a position coach was in 2011 with the linebackers. New England finished with a 13-3 record, winning the AFC Championship. Mayo led the team with 103 tackles (97) and became the first player in franchise history to total 100-plus tackles in each of his first four seasons.
In 2010, Graham served as a defensive assistant with the Patriots, who finished second in the NFL with 38 takeaways and eighth in points allowed (19.6). He began his NFL coaching career in 2009 as a coaching assistant with New England.
Graham joined New England following two seasons (2007-08) as a graduate assistant at Notre Dame, where he worked with the defense. He spent three seasons (2004-06) as an assistant coach at Richmond, mentoring tight ends from 2005-06 and the defensive line in 2004.
Graham began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Wagner (2002-03). He coached the junior varsity team to an undefeated season, while also serving as strength and conditioning coach and academic coordinator.
PERSONAL: Graham played collegiately at Yale, where he was a defensive lineman for the 1999 team that shared an Ivy League title with Brown…He earned a bachelor's degree in sociology with a concentration in economics and African American studies…A native of Waterbury, Conn., Graham and his wife, Pamela, have two children, Morgan and Silas.
