Marc Trestman

Former NFL Head Coach

Marc Trestman is a former college, NFL and Canadian Football League coach. Trestman coached in four Grey Cups, winning three over seven years as a CFL head coach with Montreal and Toronto and was CFL Coach of the Year in 2009 and 2017. Trestman also was head coach of the Chicago Bears.

Trestman started coaching in 1981 as a volunteer for the University of Miami while attending law school. As Miami’s quarterback coach, the Hurricanes won the national championship in 1983 with red-shirt freshman QB Bernie Kosar. He coached for Hall of Fame coach Jimmy Johnson in 1984 before heading to the NFL.

He transitioned to the NFL as running backs coach for Hall of Fame head coach Bud Grant and the Vikings in 1985 and had a 20-year NFL career serving as an offensive coordinator for the Browns, 49ers, Raiders and Cardinals. In his first year coaching those offenses, each team made playoff appearances.

In 1995, Trestman was offensive coordinator for the 49ers, and the team finished No. 1 in pass offense and No. 2 in total offense. In 2002, as offensive coordinator in Oakland, the Raiders were No. 2 in total offense and No. 1 in passing while quarterback Rich Gannon earned the NFL’s MVP Award.

In his first season as head coach of the Bears in 2013, Trestman’s offense broke team records in total yards (6,109), passing yards (4,450) and passing touchdowns (32).

Trestman was also head coach and general manager of the Tampa Bay Vipers in the XFL in 2021 before the league stopped play because of the covid-19 pandemic.

He played quarterback for the Minnesota Golden Gophers as a backup for Tony Dungy before later transferring to Minnesota State-Moorhead. Trestman attended training camp with the Vikings in 1979 and 1980 as a defensive back. He grew up in Minneapolis and graduated from Saint Louis Park High School in 1974. He then graduated from the University of Minnesota with a BA in political science, earned a law degree from the University of Miami School of Law and became a member of the Florida Bar.

Trestman released a book in 2010 called “Perseverance: Life Lessons on Leadership and Teamwork.” He currently works as an adjunct professor at the University of Miami School of Law, teaching a course on Leadership, has the “Leadership Gameplan” Podcast through the University of Miami School of Law on Spotify and is a regular contributor to The 33rd Team.