John McNulty returned to Rutgers football in 2025 and serves as senior offensive assistant. This marks the veteran coach’s third stint in Piscataway, as he previously served on the staff from 2004-08 and from 2018-19, including as offensive coordinator.
• McNulty, who has over 30 years of experience, spent the last two seasons as an analyst at Alabama. That included a win in the 2023 SEC Championship Game and an appearance in the College Football Playoff’s Rose Bowl.
• McNulty worked as offensive coordinator at Boston College (2022), tight ends coach at Notre Dame (2020-21) and as an analyst at Penn State (2019) in recent years.
• McNulty piloted one of the most prolific offenses in Rutgers history in 2007, with the Scarlet Knights becoming the first, and still only, FBS program to have a 3,000-yard passer (Mike Teel), 2,000-yard rusher (Ray Rice) and a pair of 1,000-yard receivers (Kenny Britt and Tiquan Underwood) in the same season. The Scarlet Knights set school records for scoring (426), first downs (294) and total offense (5,841) in 2007.
• McNulty was part of four bowl teams during his first five-year tenure at Rutgers, including three straight wins at the Texas, International and PapaJohns.com Bowls.
• McNulty returned to Rutgers in 2018 and served as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach.
• McNulty spent three seasons with the Arizona Cardinals, coaching wide receivers from 2009-11, including All-Pro receiver Larry Fitzgerald, and quarterbacks in 2012. He later joined the Tampa Bay Buccaneers staff for the 2013 season, coaching rookie quarterback Mike Glennon, who earned All-Rookie honors.
• McNulty served as quarterbacks coach for two seasons with the Tennessee Titans from 2014-15 under his former Arizona Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt. While with the Titans, he mentored second overall pick Marcus Mariota for the 2015 season. Mariota went on to earn All-Rookie honors after finishing the season with the highest passer rating among rookies (91.5). He posted four games with at least three touchdown passes in 2015, tying Peyton Manning (1998) for the most ever by an NFL rookie despite missing four games. Mariota also broke the franchise record for most passing touchdowns (19), completions (230) and passing yards (2,818) by a rookie.
• McNulty then took on the role of tight ends coach for the Los Angeles Chargers in 2016-17, coaching Hall of Famer Antonio Gates.
• Prior to his first stint with the Scarlet Knights, McNulty spent six seasons as an NFL assistant coach with the Jacksonville Jaguars from 1998-2002 and the Dallas Cowboys in 2003 with Hall of Fame head coach Bill Parcells. During his six-year stint, McNulty helped his teams advance to three playoff berths. While in Jacksonville, he coached two of the NFL's top receiving duos in Jimmy Smith and Keenan McCardell. In 2000 and 2001, the pair combined for 390 receptions and 4,903 yards, while Smith earned All-Pro honors both seasons.
• McNulty began his coaching career as a graduate assistant coach at Michigan from 1991-94. He then spent three seasons as wide receivers coach at Connecticut from 1995-97 before joining the NFL.
• McNulty played safety at Penn State from 1988-90, where he was a member of two Nittany Lion bowl teams.
Hometown: Scranton, Pa.
Alma Mater: Penn State, 1990
Wife: Kim
Children: Daughters, Abigail, Allison, Megan and Kaitlyn
2025-present: Rutgers (senior offensive assistant)
2023-24: Alabama (analyst)
2022: Boston College (offensive coordinator)
2020-21: Notre Dame (tight ends)
2019: Penn State (analyst)
2018-19: Rutgers (offensive coordinator/quarterbacks)
2016-17: San Diego Chargers (tight ends)
2014-15: Tennessee Titans (quarterbacks)
2013: Tampa Bay Buccaneers (quarterbacks)
2012: Arizona Cardinals (quarterbacks)
2009-11: Arizona Cardinals (wide receivers)
2007-08: Rutgers (offensive coordinator/quarterbacks)
2006: Rutgers (assistant offensive coordinator/quarterbacks)
2004-05: Rutgers (wide receivers)
2003: Dallas Cowboys (wide receivers)
2000-02: Jacksonville Jaguars (wide receivers)
1998-99: Jacksonville Jaguars (offensive quality control)
1995-97: Connecticut (wide receivers)
1991-94: Michigan (graduate assistant)
