Former Rutgers Football Assistant Coach Who Worked With Undefeated 1976 Squad Honored By Pro Football HOF

Former Rutgers defensive line coach/ defensive coordinator Ted Cottrell, who worked under head coach Frank Burns during the 1976 undefeated season, was honored by the Pro Football Hall of Fame as a part of their 2026 “Awards of Excellence. ” He was one of three coaches to receive the honor this week. Cottrell is considered a key innovator of the 3-4 defense.

The Awards of Excellence were established in 2022 to honor those who have significantly impacted the game in behind-the-scenes roles. This year’s recipients will be honored on June 24-25th in Canton, Ohio. Cottrell got his start coaching after playing professional football for a brief stint with the NFL’s Atlanta Falcons and the CFL’s Winnipeg Blue Bombers in the late 60s.

He served as an assistant football coach at his alma mater, Delaware Valley, for one season before joining Burns’ staff at Rutgers in 1973. During his eight seasons on the Banks, he helped the Scarlet Knights to 8 straight winning seasons and a perfect 11-o record in 1976. That squad’s defense led the nation in scoring defense, total defense, and rushing defense, holding eight opponents under 10 points with four shutouts.

Cottrell also helped Rutgers reach their first bowl game in school history, the Garden State Bowl. He was promoted to defensive coordinator in 1980 before leaving to become the defensive coordinator of the Kansas City Chiefs in 1981-1982. He returned to Rutgers in 1983 to once again be the team’s defensive coordinator before leaving to be the USFL’s New Jersey Generals defensive line coach for two seasons.