Steve Ferentz is entering his first season as a defensive assistant for the Las Vegas Raiders. He joins the Silver and Black after serving in the same position with the New York Giants in 2025.

Steve Ferentz is entering his first season as a defensive assistant for the Las Vegas Raiders. He joins the Silver and Black after serving in the same position with the New York Giants in 2025.

Last season, Ferentz assisted a defense that totaled 91 tackles for loss, the sixth-most in the NFL and tied for the fifth-most by a Giants team since 1999. OLB Brian Burns earned his third career Pro Bowl and was named second-team All-Pro for the first time in his career after starting all 17 games and producing career highs in quarterback hits (31), tackles for loss (22) and sacks (16.5). Burns 16.5 sacks ranked second in the NFL and tied Jason Pierre-Paul (16.5 in 2011) for the fourth-most in franchise history.

Prior to joining the Giants, Ferentz spent two seasons (2023-24) as the outside linebackers coach at South Dakota. He helped guide the Coyotes to top five final FCS rankings and 10-win seasons in consecutive years.

In 2024, South Dakota captured a share of the Missouri Valley Football Conference title, the first in program history, and made its first-ever appearance in the FCS semifinals. Ferentz coached LB Gary Bryant III to second-team All-Missouri Valley Conference honors after finishing fourth in the conference in tackles (103) while adding four tackles for loss, one fumble recovery, one forced fumble, two interceptions and three passes defensed.

In 2023, Ferentz coached the MVFC Defensive Player of the Year in LB Brock Mogensen, who recorded 103 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, one sack and one interception. The Coyotes' defense held seven of 10 FCS opponents to seven points of fewer that season.

Ferentz's first role in the NFL was as a coaching assistant with the Miami Dolphins from 2020-21 before being promoted to assistant linebackers coach in 2022.

During his time in Miami, the Dolphins posted three consecutive winning seasons, including a playoff berth in 2022, the first postseason appearance by the Dolphins since 2016. It also marked the first time since 2001-03 that Miami have had three straight winning seasons.

In 2022, Ferentz worked with a defensive unit that ranked fourth in rushing defense, limiting opponents to just 103 rushing yards per game. He coached LB Jaelan Phillips who led the team with 7.0 sacks while LBs Elandon Roberts and Jerome Baker became the first Dolphins duo since 2018 to record 100+ tackles in a season. Ferentz also helped LB Bradley Chubb be named to his second career Pro Bowl selection after being acquired from Dener in Week 9.

As a coaching assistant, Ferentz worked closely with the defense. In 2021, the Dolphins had five defensive scores, their most since 2001, and held opponents to fewer than 300 passing yards in each of the final 10 games of the season. Miami also had 48.0 sacks, tied for fifth-most in the NFL. In 2020, Ferentz helped the Dolphins finish sixth in scoring defense (21.1) and lead the league in takeaways (29) and third-down defense (31.2%).

Before working in Miami, Ferentz spent two seasons (2018-19) as a defensive graduate assistant at Central Michigan. In 2019, the Chippewas won eight games and appeared in the MAC Championship game and the New Mexico Bowl. He began his coaching career as a volunteer assistant at Iowa in 2017.

PERSONAL: A native of Iowa City, Iowa, Ferentz attended the University of Iowa, where he played offensive line and tight end from 2012-16…He is the son of long-time Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz…His brother, Brian, is currently the offensive line coach at Fresno State…His brother, James, is currently the tight ends coach for the Houston Texans.