Bill Callahan
| Position: | Assistant Head Coach/Offensive Line |
| Jets Seasons: | 2 |
| NFL Coaching seasons: | 11 |
| Age: | 52 |
■ Bill Callahan was retained by Rex Ryan for a second season as assistant head coach/offensive line.
■ Callahan joined the Jets in 2007 after leading the Nebraska Cornhuskers to a 27-22 record, one Big 12 North championship and two bowl appearances in four seasons.
■ Callahan served as head coach for the Oakland Raiders for two seasons (2002-03), logging a 15-17 regular season record and a 2-1 postseason mark.
■ In his first season as a head coach on any level, Callahan led the Raiders to an 11-5 record, an AFC West title and a berth in Super Bowl XXXVII. Callahan became only the fourth first-year head coach to lead a team to the Super Bowl.
■ Oakland led the NFL in passing and set new team records for total offensive yards (6,237), first downs (366), first downs passing (226), passes attempted (619), passes completed (418), passing yards (4,689) and highest completion percentage (67.5). His offense also ranked second in the NFL in points scored (450 points, 28.1 per game). As a result of his accomplishments, he was named Coach of the Year by the Columbus Touchdown Club of Ohio and Rookie Coach of the Year by Football Digest.
■ In a three-season span, all with Callahan as either offensive coordinator or head coach, the Raiders went from leading the NFL in rushing, with 154.4 yards per game in 2000, to leading the league in passing, averaging 293.1 yards per game.
■ He directed an offense in 2000 that set a Raiders single-season record for fewest sacks allowed with 28, then reset the record the next season, allowing 27 sacks.
■ In 1999 Oakland ranked third in the NFL in rushing yards and fifth in total offense. From 1999-2002, the Raiders’ offensive players earned 12 Pro Bowl appearances.
■ Before joining the Raiders, Callahan coached the offensive line for the Philadelphia Eagles from 1995-97. His unit helped the Eagles rank second in the NFC in passing, fifth in rushing and third in total offense in 1997. In 1996 Philadelphia led the conference in passing, ranked second in rushing and led the NFC in total offense. In 1995 the Eagles placed fourth in the league in rushing.
■ Prior to joining the NFL, Callahan served as offensive line coach at the University of Wisconsin, with Badgers offensive linemen earning nine All-Big Ten first-team honors. During his time in Wisconsin, the Badgers won the Big Ten title and played in the 1994 Rose Bowl.
■ As the offensive coordinator of Southern Illinois in 1989, his offense set 18 school records.
■ Callahan also spent two seasons (1987-88) as offensive line coach at Northern Arizona.
■ He held various offensive positions for Mike White in seven seasons (1980-86) at the University of Illinois, where he was first exposed to the West Coast offensive system developed by Bill Walsh, whom White coached for at San Francisco before coming to Illinois.
PLAYING CAREER
■ Callahan started at quarterback for three seasons (1975-77) at Illinois Benedictine (Lisle, IL) and earned All-America honorable mention honors in 1976 and 1977.
OFF THE FIELD
■ Callahan was born in Chicago and attended Mendel Catholic High School there.
■ Bill and his wife, Valerie, have four children: daughters Cathryn and Jaclyn and sons Brian and Daniel.
■ Shortly after joining the University of Nebraska, Callahan established Coach Callahan Charities Inc. The mission of his foundation is to provide financial support to non-profits organized to fight breast cancer and diabetes and provide services, support and hope to economically disadvantaged and at-risk youth and families. During his time in Lincoln, Callahan Charities Inc. raised more than $335,000 to benefit various causes, including: UNMC Eppley Cancer Center, Breast Cancer Foundation, Juvenile Diabetes Research Association, Special Olympics, Red Cross, Fresh Start, and Make-a-Wish.
■ He graduated from Illinois Benedictine with a B.A. in education in 1978.
