Yahoo Finance Tedy Bruschi joining University of Arizona football staff as advisor
Jedd Fisch’s first staff at Arizona will have a familiar face.
The school announced Monday that Tedy Bruschi will serve as a senior advisor to Fisch. Before he was a star linebacker for the New England Patriots and NFL analyst on ESPN, Bruschi was a three-time first-team All-Pac 10 performer for the Wildcats. Bruschi played at Arizona from 1991 to 1995, was twice named an All-American and won the Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year award as a senior. Bruschi was inducted to the College Football Hall of Fame in 2013.
Now, 25 years later, Bruschi will have a role with his alma mater’s football program. In a press release, Fisch said Bruschi will serve as a consultant for the entire coaching staff. Fisch will also assist Fisch with things like alumni relations, fundraising, social justice initiatives and off-the-field player development.
"Tedy Bruschi represents everything we want from our student-athletes. He knows what it takes to do things right on and off the field and has demonstrated success in all facets of life throughout the years,” Fisch said.
“Tedy is a true friend and ally who understands what it takes to win: respect, accountability, selflessness, and enthusiasm. Tedy has always been the best at what he does, and this is another opportunity to bring greatness to our entire program. I want to welcome Tedy and his family back to Tucson.”
Jedd Fisch entering first season at Arizona
Fisch is entering his first season as the head coach at Arizona, having bounced across multiple universities and NFL franchises as an offensive assistant. In the college game, he has had stops at Minnesota, Miami, Michigan and UCLA. In the NFL, he coached for the Baltimore Ravens, Denver Broncos, Seattle Seahawks, Jacksonville Jaguars, Los Angeles Rams and most recently was the quarterbacks coach for Bill Belichick in New England.
Fisch is inheriting a program coming off a brutal three-year stretch under Kevin Sumlin. The Wildcats went 9-20 under Sumlin with a 6-17 record in Pac-12 play. Arizona lost the final seven games it played in 2019 and went 0-5 in an abbreviated 2020 season. The 2020 season was capped off by an embarrassing 70-7 loss to rival Arizona State. Sumlin was fired the next day.
A few weeks later, Fisch was announced as the university’s new head football coach. Bruschi said Fisch’s vision for the program is what attracted him to a role at his alma mater.
"I am very excited to re-establish my connection to the Arizona Football program," Bruschi said. "Coach Fisch, and his vision for the program, is the main reason for my new level of involvement. I look forward to assisting Coach Fisch and the program in any way I can as we develop the next generations of Wildcats who are purposeful, resilient and original.”
According to the Arizona Daily Star, Bruschi’s position at UA is part-time and he will remain with ESPN as an NFL analyst.
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