Ken Zampese enters his 22nd season coaching in the NFL and his first as Washington's quarterbacks coach in 2020.
He has served in a variety of offensive coaching roles with the Cleveland Browns (2018), Cincinnati Bengals (2003-17), St. Louis Rams (2000-02), Green Bay Packers (1999) and Philadelphia Eagles (1998).
In 2019, Zampese was the offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach for the Atlanta Legends of the Alliance of American Football (AAF). In 2019, Zampese spent time with the Atlanta Legends of the Aliance of American Football. He served as the teams offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach and helped lead his quarterback room to a 62.4 completion percentage going 186-298 with five touchdowns and 1,907 yards in eight games. In the fall, he served as a defensive analyst with the University of Florida, assisting defensive coordinator, Todd Grantham. He specifically assisted in breaking down opponent pass protections, leading to the teams 11-sack increase from the previous season.
In 2018, Zampese helped guide Browns rookie quarterback Baker Mayfield to an NFL rookie record 27 passing touchdowns, despite starting just 13 games. His 27 passing touchdowns ranked fifth in a season among all Browns quarterbackss in franchise history. Mayfield also threw for 3,725 passing yards, setting a Browns rookie record and ranking sixth among NFL rookies all-time. Mayfield led all 2018 NFL rookies in passing yards (3,725), passing touchdown (27), completion percentage (63.79) and passer rating (93.7) under the guidance of Zampese.
As the Bengals offensive coordinator in 2016, Zampese helped the Bengals offense finish comfortably in the NFL's top half in net yards at No. 13, averaging 356.9 per game. Prior to being named the clubs offensive coordinator, Zampese spent 13 seasons as the Bengals quarterbacks coach, working with Jon Kitna, Carson Palmer and Andy Dalton.
In 2015, Dalton posted a club-record 106.3 passer rating, and his career rating of 91.8 is also a franchise record. From 2011-15, Dalton became only the second starting quarterback in the Super Bowl era to lead his team to the playoffs in each of his first five seasons. Zampese stands as the only quarterbacks coach to fully guide such an accomplishment, as Baltimore's Joe Flacco, the other quarterback to turn the trick, had three different position coaches during his fiveyear run. Equally notable in 2015 from a coaching standpoint, first-year quarterback AJ McCarron was immediately impressive when suddenly called on late in the season to replace an injured Dalton. McCarron went from Zampese's classroom to a playoff run unexpectedly.
McCarron posted a 2-1 record and a 101.1 passer rating in his three starts (Games 14-16). In the Wild Card playoff, McCarron led a Bengals comeback from a 15-point deficit to take a late lead, only to see Pittsburgh come back with a winning field goal at the gun.
Prior to Dalton, Zampese led Carson Palmer into the ranks of the Bengals' all-time top passers. Palmer still holds the club's all-time best completion percentage (62.9).
In 2003, his first season with the Bengals, Zampese had success with a veteran starting quarterback in Jon Kitna. The '03 campaign saw Kitna post career highs at that point in completions (324), passing yards (3,591), touchdown passes (26), completion percentage (62.3) and rating (87.4).
Zampese came to the Bengals following three seasons in St. Louis. He was the club's wide receivers coach in 2001 as the Rams led the league in passing yards, averaging 291.4. In 2002, he added the title of passing game coach, and the Rams finished second in the league at 259.6 yards per game. Zampese began his NFL career in 1998 as an offensive assistant with the Philadelphia Eagles.
Prior to the NFL, Zampese coached for nine years in college, including two seasons at Miami (Ohio). In '97, Miami averaged 37.4 points per game. Zampese played wide receiver and kick returner at the University of San Diego from 1985- 88. He was the team's Special Teams Player of the Year as a senior. He earned an undergraduate degree in business from San Diego, and later received a master's degree in adult education from Southern California.
ZAMPESE FOOTBALL TIMELINE
2020: Quarterbacks Coach, Washington Football Team
2019: Offensive Coordinator/quarterbacks coach, Atlanta Legends
2018: Quarterbacks Coach, Cleveland Browns
2016-17: Offensive Coordinator, Cincinnati Bengals
2003-15: Quarterbacks Coach, Cincinnati Bengals
2002: Passing Game Coordinator, St. Louis Rams
2001: Wide Receivers Coach, St. Louis Rams
2000: Offensive Assistant, St. Louis Rams
1999: Offensive Assistant, Green Bay Packers
1998: Offensive Assistant, Philadelphia Eagles
1996-97: Quarterbacks Coach and Passing Game Coordinator, Miami (Ohio)
1995: Offensive Coordinator, Northern Arizona
1992-94: Wide Receivers Coach, Northern Arizona
1990-91: Graduate Assistant, Southern California
1985-88: Wide Receiver, University of San Diego
