Downing played quarterback for the Minnesota Maulers, a semi-pro football team from 2000 to 2002, and helped the Maulers reach three consecutive championship games.[1]
Coaching career
Early career
Downing received his first coaching job when he was hired as a 9th grade B team offensive coach at Eden Prairie High School.[2] While coaching at his high school, the Eagles won the Class 5A state title in 2000 over Matt Birk's Cretin Derham Hall Raiders.[1]
Minnesota Vikings
After being offered an internship in 2001 by Chad Ostlund in Research and Development for the Minnesota Vikings, Downing was a Public Relations intern for 2002,[3] a football systems analyst from 2003 to 2004, and offensive quality control coach in 2005.[4]
St. Louis Rams
In 2006, Downing was hired by the St. Louis Rams to be a defensive assistant and special teams assistant coach.[3] He would keep this job for two seasons before becoming the Rams' defensive quality control coach.[1]
Detroit Lions
In 2009, Downing was hired by the Detroit Lions with Scott Linehan as an offensive quality control coach.[4] Downing was the assistant quarterback coach in 2010 and was promoted to the quarterbacks coach role in 2011.[4] While he was coaching quarterbacks in Detroit, Matthew Stafford averaged 4,885 yards, 30 touchdowns, and 17 interceptions from 2011 to 2013.[5]
Buffalo Bills
In 2014, Downing was the Buffalo Bills' quarterback coach.
Oakland Raiders
In 2015, Downing was hired by the Oakland Raiders as their quarterbacks coach under head coach Jack Del Rio.[4] Downing is credited for helping Derek Carr become the first Raiders quarterback to be selected to a Pro Bowl since 2002.[4] On January 20, 2015, Downing was named by Pro Football Focus as Quarterbacks Coach of the Year.[6] After coaching Raiders quarterbacks for two years, he was promoted to offensive coordinator in 2017, after the Raiders decided not to renew Bill Musgrave's contract.[4] When Downing coached Carr from 2015 to 2016, he threw for 7,924 yards, 60 touchdowns, and 19 interceptions with two Pro Bowl appearances.[7]
Downing was fired on January 1, 2018, along with head coach Jack Del Rio and the rest of Del Rio's staff after dropping from 12–4 to 6–10 due to a major regression of the offense.
Minnesota Vikings (second stint)
On February 19, 2018, Downing was hired by the Minnesota Vikings as a senior offensive assistant.[4] Following the sudden and unexpected passing of Vikings offensive line coach Tony Sparano prior to training camp in 2018, tight ends coach Clancy Barone was shifted to coach the offensive line, alongside Sparano's assistant offensive line coach, Andrew Janocko, while Downing was moved from senior offensive assistant to tight ends coach to fill the vacant position.
Tennessee Titans
Downing in 2021
On January 26, 2019, Downing was hired by the Tennessee Titans as their tight ends coach under head coach Mike Vrabel.[8]
On January 29, 2021, Downing was promoted to offensive coordinator, replacing Arthur Smith, who departed to become the head coach of the Atlanta Falcons two weeks prior.[9] In Downing's first season as offensive coordinator, the Titans finished 17th in overall offense and 15th in points scored.[10]
On January 9, 2023, Downing was fired after the Titans finished 30th in overall offense and 28th in points scored (17.5 per game).[11][12][13]
New York Jets
On February 13, 2023, Downing was hired by the New York Jets as their passing game coordinator under head coach Robert Saleh.[14]
On February 20, 2024, Downing was promoted to passing game coordinator and quarterbacks coach after quarterbacks coach Rob Calabrese left to become an offensive assistant for the Los Angeles Rams.
On October 10, 2024, Downing was handed over play calling duties for the New York Jets from Nathaniel Hackett. This decision was made by interim Head Coach Jeff Ulbrich, following the firing of Robert Saleh.
Personal life
Downing grew up in Eden Prairie, Minnesota. He and his wife, Julie, have a son named Jackson.[1] Downing was arrested for a DUI when driving back from a game in November 2022.[15]
