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COACHING

Mike Smith joins the Patriots in 2025 as outside linebackers coach. He comes to New England after serving two seasons as outside linebackers/pass rush specialist with the Minnesota Vikings (2022-23). Smith has NFL experience with the Green Bay Packers, Kansas City Chiefs and the New York Jets in various defensive capacities.

With Smith overseeing the outside linebackers in 2023, Minnesota allowed 98.7 rushing yards per game, ranking eighth in the NFL. In addition, several Vikings had career seasons under Smith's tutelage: LB Danielle Hunter recorded a career-high 16.5 sacks and a Pro Bowl berth, DT Harrison Phillips totaled a career-best 3.0 sacks, LB D.J. Wonnum tied his career high with 8.0 sacks, and S Harrison registered 3.0 sacks, tying his career best.

In 2022, Smith coached two outside linebackers in Minnesota to earn Pro Bowl honors. LB Hunter started every game for the first time since 2019, recording a career-high 22 quarterback hits to go with a team-leading 10.5 sacks and a career-best 3 passes defensed. LB Za'Darius Smith finished the 2022 season fifth in the NFC in sacks (10.0), and fourth in tackles for loss (15). On top of a Pro Bowl berth, he earned NFC Defensive Player of the Week (Week 8) and NFC Defensive Player of the Month (October).

In his first season with Green Bay in 2019, Smith saw the most productive pass-rushing duo in the NFL. Za'Darius Smith (13.5) and Preston Smith (12.0) both posted career-high sack totals as they became the first duo in team history (since 1982) to post 12-plus sacks each in the same season, and the first duo in NFL history to both register 12-plus sacks in their first season as teammates.

Smith tutored LB Dee Ford of the Kansas City Chiefs during the 2018 season, who tied for second among NFL linebackers with a career-high 13 sacks on the way to earning the first Pro Bowl berth of his career. Ford was also tied for the league lead with J.J. Watt with a career-best seven forced fumbles, tied for the second most in franchise history behind only LB Derrick Thomas (eight, 1992). Smith also coached veteran LB Justin Houston record 9 sacks and 5 forced fumbles in 12 games of action. Ford and Houston became the first Kansas City duo to both total five-plus fumbles in the same season since Jared Allen and Tamba Hali in 2006.

Prior to his arrival in Kansas City, Smith coached his alma mater at Texas Tech for three seasons (2013-15) in a variety of defensive roles. Smith worked the previous three seasons for the New York Jets, his first NFL stop, coaching the outside linebackers in 2012 and serving as a coaching intern in 2010-11. He was a part of a coaching staff in 2012 that helped the Jets rank second in the league in passing yards allowed per game (189.8) and opponent completion passer rating (78.2). In 2010, he was a member of a defensive staff that helped the Jets rank third in the league in total defense (291.5 yards per game), run defense (90.9 yards per game) and yards allowed per carry (3.56) as the team advanced to the AFC Championship game.

Smith's coaching career began in 2009, when he served as linebackers coach at Hawaii, helping LB Blake Soares post a team-high 107 tackles (58 solo) on his way to earning first-team All-Western Athletic Conference honors.

PLAYING

Smith was a four-year letterwinner as a linebacker at Texas Tech, where he was named MVP and captain as a senior in 2004. At the time of his graduation, he was one of just five Texas Tech players to have appeared in 50-plus career games. He was tied for the team lead with 83 tackles as a senior, earning All-Big 12 Honorable Mention, as he helped lead the Red Raiders to an 8-4 overall record and an upset win over fourth-ranked California.

Smith was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens in the seventh round (234th overall) of the 2005 NFL Draft. He played from 2005-07 for Baltimore before his career was cut short due to injuries in 2008.

PERSONAL

A native of Lubbock, Texas, Smith earned a degree in communication studies at Texas Tech. He and his wife, Emily, have two daughters, Kennedy and Finley, and a son, Weston.