Dwayne Stukes is entering first season with the Los Angeles Rams serving as assistant special teams coach in 2020. Stukes brings 13 years of NFL coaching experience to the Rams.
Stukes joins the Rams after two seasons as the Jacksonville Jaguars defensive assistant.
Stukes and Head Coach Sean McVay worked together on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers staff in 2008.
With the Jaguars in 2020, Stukes helped DL Dawuane Smoot finish the season with a team-leading 5.5 sacks and two forced fumbles. The fourth-year defensive linemen recorded 4.0 of his 5.5 sacks and both forced fumbles in the last six weeks (12-17) of the season.
In 2019, Stukes assisted in the development of first-round rookie DE Josh Allen, who led all rookies in the NFL and broke the rookie franchise record with 10.5 sacks. Allen was one of five NFL players over the last 10 seasons to post at least 10.0 sacks and multiple forced fumbles in their rookie season. DL Calais Campbell was named to his third consecutive Pro Bowl, becoming the sixth Jaguar to earn at least three Pro Bowls with the team. Campbell finished the season with 56 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, 6.5 sacks, two forced fumbles and fumble return for a TD. Campbell was named to the Pro Football Writers of America All-AFC team. Also in 2019, DE Yannick Ngakoue registered his fourth consecutive season with at least 8.0 sacks in 2019. Ngakoue was the only player in the NFL with at least 8.0 sacks, multiple forced fumbles and a pick six this season.
From 2016-17, Stukes served as the assistant special teams coach with the New York Giants. In 2017, K Aldrick Rosas connected on 20 of 23 field goals during his rookie season, including four of five from 50-plus yards. In 2016, K Josh Brown and K Robbie Gould combined to make 21 of 22 field goals, converting 95.5 percent of their FG attempts, the highest single- season mark in franchise history.
Stukes previously served as the assistant special teams coach for the Chicago Bears from 2013-14. In 2013, Stukes worked with KR/WR Devin Hester, who posted a kick return average of 27.7 yards per return, the sixth-highest mark in the league.
Stukes spent the 2012 season with the Dallas Cowboys in their minority coaching internship program after serving on Tampa Bay's coaching staff for six seasons (2006-11), the last as the Buccaneers' special teams coordinator. During the 2011 season, Stukes' unit saw K Connor Barth finish third in the NFL in field goal percentage with a career-high 92.9 conversion rate (26 of 28). From 2009-10, Stukes was Tampa Bay's assistant defensive backs coach after serving as special teams quality control coach in 2008. Stukes helped CB Aqib Talib produce a career-high six INTs in 2010, while CB Ronde Barber finished second on the team with three INTs. He joined the team as a coaching assistant in 2006, a position he held for two years. He also served as the assistant defensive backs coach for the Berlin Thunder in 2006.
He spent parts of four seasons in the NFL from 2000-03 as a member of the Buccaneers, the Atlanta Falcons and the Pittsburgh Steelers. Stukes also played for NFL Europe's Berlin Thunder (2001-02) and the Arena Football League's Colorado Crush (2004).
Stukes played collegiately at the University of Virginia and was awarded UVA's Gretchen Savin Macillwaine Football Scholarship, given for outstanding academic achievement.
Stukes and his wife, Lori, have two daughters, Jade and Skylar, and a son, Myka.