Travis Smith joins the Silver and Black after spending one season as the defensive run game coordinator for the Tennessee Titans in 2025. Last season, Smith helped DT Jeffery Simmons earn his fourth career Pro Bowl honors after leading all NFL interior defensive linemen in solo tackles (39), tackles for loss (17), sacks (11), sack yards (79.0), quarterback pressures (60), pressure rate (14.5) and forced fumbles (3).
Smith joined the Titans after spending three years (2022-24) as the defensive line coach for the Chicago Bears. In 2024, Chicago ranked 16th in sacks (40) with 16 players registering at least one sack. In 2023, the Bears led the NFL in fewest rushing yards allowed (1,468 yards), fifth in yards per carry (3.78) and second fewest rushing touchdowns allowed (8). Defensive end Montez Sweat earned his first Pro Bowl selection in 2023, totaling 12.5 sacks split between Washington (6.5) and Chicago (6.0).
Prior to joining the Bears, Smith spent 10 seasons (2012-21) with the Oakland/Las Vegas Raiders, serving in a number of roles, from assistant defensive line (2020-21), defensive quality control (2018-19, 2015-16), outside linebackers (2017), and defensive assistant (2012-14).
In 2021, Smith tutored defensive end Maxx Crosby who earned his first career Pro Bowl honors after posting a then-career-high 56 tackles, eight sacks, 30 quarterback hits and seven passes defensed. Yannick Ngakoue added a team-high 10 sacks. In 2019, Smith aided in the development of rookie defensive ends in Crosby and Clelin Ferrell. Crosby led all Raiders with 10 sacks, as he became just the fourth rookie since at least 2000 to record 10-plus sacks and four forced fumbles. Ferrell added 4.5 sacks, tied for the eighth-most by a rookie in Raiders history. The Raiders rookie defensive ends combined for 14.5 sacks on the year, the most among all rookie draft classes in the NFL.
In 2017, with Smith leading Oakland's outside linebackers, Khalil Mack led the defense with 10.5 sacks and added a career-high 78 tackles. Mack earned his third consecutive Pro Bowl selection. Throughout the 2016 season, Smith worked closely with the defensive line, coaching third-year All-Pro Mack to his second consecutive Pro Bowl and first Defensive Player of the Year honor. Mack's eight-game sack streak during the regular season tied an NFL record, and he came away with a strip sack in three consecutive games during that stretch.
In 2015, Smith contributed to a Raiders defense that featured two Pro Bowlers in veteran safety Charles Woodson and second-year linebacker Mack. Smith worked with Mack as he developed into an elite defender, totaling 15 sacks to rank second in the league, earning his first Pro Bowl selection.
Smith worked with the Raiders linebackers in 2014. He helped tutor Mack as a rookie, who finished third in the voting for the Associated Press Defensive Rookie of the Year. Â In 2013, Smith helped a unit that included three new starters in veteran linebackers Nick Roach and Kevin Burnett and rookie linebacker Sio Moore. Roach posted career highs in tackles (152) and sacks (5.5), while Moore was named to the PFWA All-Rookie Team after recording 4.5 sacks in his first season.
Smith joined the Raiders after spending two years in the collegiate ranks. In 2011, he served as an offensive technical intern at the University of Colorado. Â Prior to his time in Boulder, he coached at Santa Monica (Calif.) Junior College in 2010, assisting the tight ends and the defensive linemen. He also served as an undergraduate assistant coach at Cal Poly.
A native of Walnut Creek, Calif., Smith attended Foothill High School in Pleasanton, Calif., where he earned two letters as a linebacker and fullback. After graduating, Smith went on to earn a bachelor's degree in kinesiology from Cal Poly State University, where he was a member of the Mustangs football program from 2004 to 2009. Smith and wife, Christina, have a son, Jackson and a daughter, Harper.
