A veteran coach with 45 years of combined experience in the NFL and collegiate ranks, Joe Pannunzio enters his ninth season with the Philadelphia Eagles, including his fifth as the assistant special teams coordinator.
Pannunzio aided a special teams unit that played an important role in Philadelphia capturing Super Bowl LIX in 2024, with Jake Elliott posting the most kicking points (16) in Super Bowl history during the Eagles' victory over Kansas City. Elliott also set team postseason records in kicking points (43), made kicks (23) and made field goals (10). In addition, Kelee Ringo excelled as a gunner, posting a career-high eight special teams tackles.
In 2023, Pannunzio supported a group that ranked first in special teams DVOA (4.2 pct.), fifth in Pro Football Focus special teams grade (89.0), and 10th in Rick Gosselin's annual special teams rankings (322.0 composite score). Elliott was voted second-team All-Pro after setting a franchise mark in field goal percentage (93.8 pct., 30-of-32), while punter Braden Mann established club records in gross (49.8) and net (43.9) punting averages. Britain Covey was named a Pro Bowl alternate after he led the NFL in punt return yards (417) and ranked second in punt return average (14.4).
During the 2022 campaign, when Philadelphia reached Super Bowl LVII, Pannunzio assisted a unit that featured three NFC Special Teams Player of the Week performances. He additionally helped Covey, an undrafted rookie, log the third-most punt return yards (308, eighth in the NFL) and third-highest punt return average (9.3, ninth in the NFL) in the conference.
In 2021, Pannunzio contributed to a special teams operation that was highlighted by Elliott, who registered a then-team-record 90.9 field goal percentage (30-of-33) en route to his first career Pro Bowl selection. Elliott finished the season as one of three NFL kickers to connect on 90-plus percent of their field goals and all of their extra-point attempts (44-of-44).
Prior to being named to his current role, Pannunzio served as the director of team development during the 2019-20 seasons. He originally held the title of director of personnel operations from 2015-16.
Between stints with the Eagles, Pannunzio was the running backs coach (2018) as well as the special teams coordinator/tight ends coach (2017) at Alabama on head coach Nick Saban's staff. He also spent four years as the Crimson Tide's director of personnel operations (2011-14).
From 2006-10, Pannunzio worked at Miami (FL), where he was the tight ends coach/special teams coordinator. During his time with the Hurricanes, he tutored players such as Jimmy Graham and Greg Olsen.
Pannunzio was the head coach at Murray State from 2000-05 and captained the Racers to the 2002 Ohio Valley Championship, becoming just the fourth head coach in school history to win a conference title. He also led Murray State to the 2002 NCAA Subdivision Playoffs.
Pannunzio worked under head coach Tommy Tuberville during his time at Auburn (1999) and Mississippi (1995-98), coaching the tight ends and special teams units with both programs. He also served in the same capacity at Minnesota (1992-94) under head coach Jim Wacker. Before joining the Golden Gophers, he was a member of Wacker's staff at TCU (1990-91), where he was the offensive line/tight ends/special teams coach.
From 1987-90, Pannunzio coordinated Mesa College's (CO) offense. He also coached the school's quarterbacks and wide receivers from 1982-84. During his seven years at Mesa College, the program twice appeared in the NAIA National Championship game and once led the nation in both scoring and total offense. Between those stints, Pannunzio worked with the tight ends at Kansas from 1985-86.
Pannunzio began his coaching career as the wide receivers coach at his alma mater, Southern Colorado, in 1981. He was a standout quarterback in college, leading his team to a No. 9 ranking in NAIA Division I while earning honorable mention all-conference accolades in 1980.
A Pueblo, CO, native, Pannunzio and his wife, Rita, have two daughters, Angela and Nico, and a son, Mario, along with three grandchildren.
