Why I'm Taking a Year Off From Coaching
News 4/3/23
Greg Roman has coached football for 28 years, 25 in the NFL. On Jan. 19, he stepped down as offensive coordinator of the Baltimore Ravens, a position he had held since 2019 when the Associated Press named him the league’s assistant coach of the year. During Roman’s time as OC with the Ravens, quarterback Lamar Jackson set several league records and the team led the NFL in many key offensive categories. Roman plans to spend the 2023 season out of football. He will continue to stay connected to the game, which will include regular contributions to The 33rd Team.
This is the second of a two-part series. This installment looks at Roman’s coaching future. The first installment, on building an offense around Jackson, can be found here.
I’m trying to take advantage of this time away from coaching to look at the NFL from 10,000 feet because you’re entrenched in the forest when you’re working. I’m staying in touch with a high school and college football program as well. I’m also looking to catch my breath, but I’m going to try to stay busy.
Working for The 33rd Team, I’m going to pick some NFL games and look at them from an analytical/coaching standpoint. And I’m looking forward to being a fan, just kicking back and yelling at the TV.
During the season, I could tell you what I was working on pretty much any day of the year. And if you tell me what time of the day, I could tell you what I was working on any day of the year. It’s so regimented. When you get done with the season, you’re immediately into your own team evaluation, free agency and then the draft, playbooks, OTAs and whatnot.
I’m a pretty creative person, so I’ll be able to stockpile some new ideas in my head, including by studying others. During the season, you’re studying yourself and you’re studying your opponent. Now, I will get to branch out a little bit and expand my lens; look at the whole league, look at different trends, see what people are doing, those kinds of things.
It’s a unique situation, but it’s an opportunity, and I look forward to getting back into the fray here once this season concludes. Taking this year off is going to help me improve as a coach. I’m going to use this time wisely and definitely come back refreshed and recharged, with a really good perspective on things.
I look at it as a positive opportunity, and I’m also looking forward to getting back to work with a team. I definitely think offensive coordinator is where I am best suited. If somebody were to interview me as a head coach and feel like I was a good fit, that would be a dream come true.
But whether that happens or not is really out of my control. I try to focus on the journey, so to speak, and get back to coordinating an offense and putting a winning unit together.
As told to Vic Carucci