Joe Houston enters his fourth season coaching in the NFL and fourth season with the New England Patriots in 2023 after spending 2019 with Alabama as a special teams analyst.
Houston aided Special Teams Coordinator Cam Achord in coaching the punt return unit ranked first in the NFL for punt return yards and third in total return yards, led by Marcus Jones. Jones ranked second in total return yards, punt return average and first in punt return yards and the longest punt return. He was named to the 2023 Associated Press All-Pro first team as a punt returner.
Following the 2022 season, Houston served as the special teams coordinator for the West team in the East-West Shrine Bowl, assisting the team to a 12-3 victory.
Prior to joining the Crimson Tide, Houston spent three years at Iowa State as a quality control coach in 2016-17 and as special teams coordinator in 2018. In 2015, Houston worked as a quality control assistant at Toledo. He began his coaching career in 2012, when he spent three seasons at El Camino College as a special teams coach and assisted in the secondary.
Houston was a placekicker at USC from 2007-10 under coaches Pete Carroll and Lane Kiffin. After earning starting kicking duties in 2010, Houston led the team in scoring (73 points), made 10 field goals and was a perfect 43-for-43 for extra point attempts in his senior year. Houston also spent two seasons in the Arena Football League with the Chicago Rush and the Nebraska Danger after his collegiate career.
Houston is a native of Redondo Beach, California, and graduated from USC in 2010.
