The Los Angeles Rams on Thursday announced they had agreed to terms with Joe DeCamillis to become their next special teams coordinator.
Here are five things to know about him:
1) Veteran special teams coach
DeCamillis has been coaching special teams in the NFL since 1993. The 2021 season will mark his 29th consecutive year doing so.
2) Earned a rare award for his toughness and courage
During the Cowboys' rookie mini camp in May 2009 – DeCamillis' first year as their special teams coordinator – their practice bubble collapsed as a result of strong winds. DeCamillis suffered a broken neck and was one of 12 people hospitalized, but was coaching 15 days later and wore a neck brace for most of the offseason.
Dallas finished the 2009 season ranked fourth in special teams, and DeCamillis was rewarded for his efforts with the Special Courage Award as voted by Cowboys players. The award accompanies the Ed Block Courage Award given to a player on each team, but isn't handed out often, as its name suggests: DeCamillis was just the fourth individual in NFL history to receive it.
3) Super Bowl champion
DeCamillis was a member of the Broncos coaching staff that won Super Bowl 50 following the 2015 season. That year, Denver ranked seventh in the NFL in both opponents' punt return average (6.8) and opponents' kickoff return average (20.2), while finishing 11th in the NFL in kick return average (22.9).
4) All-American wrestler in college
Although he was an all-state quarterback and wrestler in high school, DeCamillis decided to pursue wrestling instead of football in college. He wound up being an All-American wrestler at the University of Wyoming and finishing his career sixth in program history with 121 wins, per an October 2016 story published on DenverBroncos.com.
5) Connection to Rams coaching staff
DeCamillis' two seasons as assistant head coach/special teams coordinator with the Bears overlapped with current Rams offensive line coach/run game coordinator Aaron Kromer's stint as the Bears offensive coordinator (2013-14).
DeCamillis' three seasons with the Cowboys (2010-12) also overlapped with current Rams tight ends coach Wes Phillips' seven seasons on the Cowboys staff. Phillips was in his fourth season as a quality control/offensive assistant coach for Dallas in 2010. In 2011 and 2012, he was an assistant offensive line coach who also helped DeCamillis with special teams.
