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Tracy Rocker
Defensive Line Coach
Biography
A 32-year coaching veteran, Tracy Rocker enters his third campaign as the Philadelphia Eagles' defensive line coach.
Widely respected among his peers, Rocker is considered one of the greatest college defensive linemen ever and was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2004. A two-time All-American defensive tackle at Auburn, he was honored with the Lombardi Award (nation's top college football player) and Outland Trophy (nation's top interior lineman) in 1988, becoming the first player in SEC history to earn both accolades.
In 2022, Rocker was a member of an Eagles coaching staff that guided the team to an appearance in Super Bowl LVII. The second-ranked total defense (301.5 ypg) registered the third-most sacks (70, tied) in NFL history, behind the 1984 Bears (72) and 1989 Vikings (71). In addition, Philadelphia became the first team to have four different players with double-digit sacks in the same season. Among that group was defensive tackle Javon Hargrave, who excelled up front with a career-high 11.0 sacks.
During his first year with the Eagles in 2021, Hargrave helped Hargrave earn his first career Pro Bowl after leading the unit in pressures (career-high 58), quarterback hits (career-high 18), tackles for loss (nine) and sacks (7.5). Defensive end Josh Sweat was also named to his first Pro Bowl after tying Hargrave for the most sacks on Philadelphia's defense.
Prior to joining the Eagles' coaching staff, Rocker tutored the defensive line at South Carolina during the 2020 campaign.
From 2017-19, Rocker served as Tennessee's defensive line coach. He played a crucial role in the Volunteers becoming one of the most improved defenses in college football in 2018, as Tennessee elevated 74 spots in run defense (154.0 ypg) and 45 spots in third-down defense (39.0 pct.).
Rocker spent the 2014-16 seasons as the defensive line coach at Georgia and added the title of associate head coach from 2015-16. In that span, the Bulldogs ranked among the top 20 programs in total defense each year and had the eighth-best scoring defense (16.9 ppg) in 2015.
Rocker first entered the NFL coaching scene as a defensive line coach with the Tennessee Titans from 2011-13. In 2012, Tennessee produced the 10th-most sacks (39) in the league, while defensive end Derrick Morgan had a breakout year, recording 59 tackles, 23 quarterback hits and 6.5 sacks. In 2011, Rocker led a young group that included Karl Klug, who ranked first among rookie defensive tackles in sacks (7.0, fourth among NFL defensive tackles), as well as rookie defensive end Jurrell Casey, who registered the most tackles (74) by any Titans defensive lineman that season.