# Joe Lombardi
**Joe Lombardi** (Joseph Philip Lombardi, born 1971 in Seattle, Washington) is an [American football](https://www.edgepedia.org/american-football) coach who has served as offensive coordinator for three NFL franchises, the [Detroit Lions](https://www.edgepedia.org/detroit-lions), Los Angeles Chargers, and [Denver Broncos](https://www.edgepedia.org/denver-broncos), and is the senior offensive assistant for the Baltimore Ravens since 2026[1](https://www.profootballarchives.com/coaches/lomb00150.html) • [2](https://www.baltimoreravens.com/team/coaches-roster/joe-lombardi). He is the grandson of Hall of Fame coach Vince Lombardi[2](https://www.baltimoreravens.com/team/coaches-roster/joe-lombardi).
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1971, Seattle, WA; high school Seattle Prep[1](https://www.profootballarchives.com/coaches/lomb00150.html) |
| Playing career | Tight end, Air Force Academy, 1990-93 (lettered 1991-93); later served in the United States Air Force[1](https://www.profootballarchives.com/coaches/lomb00150.html) |
| NFL tenure | 20 seasons as an assistant through 2025, 316 games, record 196-120 (.620)[1](https://www.profootballarchives.com/coaches/lomb00150.html) |
| Coordinator posts | Detroit Lions 2014-15, Los Angeles Chargers 2021-22, Denver Broncos 2023-25[2](https://www.baltimoreravens.com/team/coaches-roster/joe-lombardi) |
| Signature QB work | Drew Brees' 2011 season: 468-of-657 passing (71.2%), 5,476 yards, 46 touchdowns, 110.6 passer rating[3](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/upload/saints/ixmlu24siljhps376i9w.pdf) |
| Championship | Part of the Saints' staff for the 2009 season Super Bowl championship[4](https://www.nfl.com/news/joe-lombardi-reunites-with-sean-payton-as-new-broncos-offensive-coordinator) |
| Current role | Senior offensive assistant, Baltimore Ravens, since 2026[1](https://www.profootballarchives.com/coaches/lomb00150.html) |
## Early life, playing career, and entry into coaching
Lombardi played tight end at the Air Force Academy from 1990 to 1993, lettering in his final three seasons, and then fulfilled a military service obligation in the [United States Air Force](https://www.edgepedia.org/united-states-air-force)[1](https://www.profootballarchives.com/coaches/lomb00150.html). He never met his grandfather, who died in 1970, but grew up in a household steeped in the family's football tradition[5](https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/2010/02/04/the-league/da529a53-7ebb-49ab-a1a1-4e113d88fa30/). Wanting to return to the game, he took a job coaching the defensive line at the [University of Dayton](https://www.edgepedia.org/university-of-dayton) from 1996 to 1998, a position that let him break into coaching while meeting his service commitment[5](https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/2010/02/04/the-league/da529a53-7ebb-49ab-a1a1-4e113d88fa30/).
His path then moved through a series of one- and multi-year posts: tight ends and offensive tackles at [Virginia Military Institute](https://www.edgepedia.org/virginia-military-institute) in 1999, defensive line and strength and conditioning coordinator at Bucknell in 2000, and running backs and tight ends with the XFL's New York/New Jersey Hitmen in 2001, a job that ended when the XFL folded after its only season[6](https://www.prideofdetroit.com/2014/1/23/5335366/joe-lombardi-lions-coaching-history). From 2002 to 2005 he was offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Mercyhurst College, also serving as recruiting coordinator, his first sustained play-calling experience[3](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/upload/saints/ixmlu24siljhps376i9w.pdf).
His first NFL break came in 2006 as a defensive assistant with the [Atlanta Falcons](https://www.edgepedia.org/atlanta-falcons); former Air Force teammate Chris Beake, then an assistant with the Broncos, helped get him the interview that opened the door[6](https://www.prideofdetroit.com/2014/1/23/5335366/joe-lombardi-lions-coaching-history) • [7](https://gazette.com/2018/08/04/air-force-graduate-joe-lombardi-carries-on-legendary-family-name-in-nfl-coaching-career-b0d96bb6-9835-11e8-8fc6-3b36e3b30a23/).
## New Orleans Saints and Drew Brees
Lombardi joined the [New Orleans Saints](https://www.edgepedia.org/new-orleans-saints) in 2007 as an offensive assistant under head coach [Sean Payton](https://www.edgepedia.org/sean-payton) and became quarterbacks coach in 2009, a role he held through 2013[3](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/upload/saints/ixmlu24siljhps376i9w.pdf). The 2009 season ended with a Saints Super Bowl championship[4](https://www.nfl.com/news/joe-lombardi-reunites-with-sean-payton-as-new-broncos-offensive-coordinator).
**The Brees years.** Working with quarterback [Drew Brees](https://www.edgepedia.org/drew-brees), later a Pro Football Hall of Famer, defined this period. Lombardi's coaching helped produce a 2011 season for Brees that ranks among the most prolific by a quarterback in NFL history: he connected on 468 of his 657 throw attempts (71.2%), threw for 5,476 yards and 46 touchdowns, and posted a 110.6 passer rating.[3](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/upload/saints/ixmlu24siljhps376i9w.pdf) In 2016, after Lombardi had returned to the Saints, Brees set the NFL single-season completions record with 471, his fifth career season with more than 5,000 passing yards[8](https://www.houstontexans.com/news/joe-lombardi-s-biography-houston-texans-head-coach-search).
## Offensive coordinator stints
**Detroit Lions, 2014-15.** In January 2014, new Lions head coach Jim Caldwell hired Lombardi as offensive coordinator, his first NFL coordinator post[6](https://www.prideofdetroit.com/2014/1/23/5335366/joe-lombardi-lions-coaching-history). In 2014 the offense featured Hall of Fame receiver [Calvin Johnson](https://www.edgepedia.org/calvin-johnson) and [Golden Tate](https://www.edgepedia.org/golden-tate), the first pair of Lions teammates since 2006 to each reach 1,000 receiving yards in a season, and Johnson, Tate, and quarterback [Matthew Stafford](https://www.edgepedia.org/matthew-stafford) all made the Pro Bowl; five of Detroit's 11 wins were fourth-quarter or overtime comebacks[9](https://static.www.nfl.com/league/apps/league-site/media-guides/2021/LAC.pdf). The second year went badly: on October 26, 2015, with the team at 1-6, the Lions fired Lombardi along with several other members of the coaching staff[10](https://www.nfl.com/news/lions-fire-offensive-coordinator-joe-lombardi-0ap3000000566406).
**Return to New Orleans, 2016-20.** Lombardi went back to the Saints as quarterbacks coach for five seasons, again working with Brees and also contributing to the development of [Teddy Bridgewater](https://www.edgepedia.org/teddy-bridgewater) and [Taysom Hill](https://www.edgepedia.org/taysom-hill)[4](https://www.nfl.com/news/joe-lombardi-reunites-with-sean-payton-as-new-broncos-offensive-coordinator) • [11](https://www.neworleanssaints.com/news/10-questions-with-new-orleans-saints-quarterbacks-coach-joe-lombardi).
**Los Angeles Chargers, 2021-22.** The Chargers hired Lombardi as offensive coordinator in January 2021, pairing him with young quarterback Justin Herbert[12](https://www.chargers.com/news/joe-lombardi-offensive-coordinator-5-things-to-know). Statistically the offense performed well: Los Angeles ranked in the top 10 in yards in both seasons and was fifth in points in 2021 before falling eight spots in 2022[4](https://www.nfl.com/news/joe-lombardi-reunites-with-sean-payton-as-new-broncos-offensive-coordinator). The Chargers dismissed him on January 17, 2023[4](https://www.nfl.com/news/joe-lombardi-reunites-with-sean-payton-as-new-broncos-offensive-coordinator).
**Denver Broncos, 2023-25.** Lombardi rejoined Payton as the Broncos' offensive coordinator, his third run with the head coach, with the task of helping revive quarterback Russell Wilson after the 2022 season[4](https://www.nfl.com/news/joe-lombardi-reunites-with-sean-payton-as-new-broncos-offensive-coordinator). In 2023 Wilson's 66.4 completion percentage was the third highest of his career, and receiver Courtland Sutton became the first Bronco since 2014 with double-digit touchdown receptions, finishing with 10[13](https://static.www.nfl.com/image/upload/league/apps/league-site/media-guides/2025/DEN.pdf). The 2025 season was the strongest of the three: Bo Nix passed for a career-high 3,931 yards and 25 touchdowns as Denver clinched the AFC's No. 1 playoff seed[2](https://www.baltimoreravens.com/team/coaches-roster/joe-lombardi).
## Reputation and later career
Lombardi's career record as an NFL assistant through 2025 stands at 196 wins against 120 losses over 316 games, a .620 winning percentage[1](https://www.profootballarchives.com/coaches/lomb00150.html). His two coordinator firings, in Detroit and Los Angeles, contrast with the sustained success of his quarterback-coaching tenures, and his reputation in the league rests largely on that quarterback work: the Ravens' official biography credits him with mentoring Brees, Herbert, and Nix[2](https://www.baltimoreravens.com/team/coaches-roster/joe-lombardi). In January 2022 the Houston Texans interviewed him for their head coaching position during his first season with the Chargers[8](https://www.houstontexans.com/news/joe-lombardi-s-biography-houston-texans-head-coach-search).
In 2026 he joined the Baltimore Ravens as senior offensive assistant, entering his 21st NFL coaching season[1](https://www.profootballarchives.com/coaches/lomb00150.html) • [2](https://www.baltimoreravens.com/team/coaches-roster/joe-lombardi).
## References
1. [Joe Lombardi Coaching Record, Pro Football Archives](https://www.profootballarchives.com/coaches/lomb00150.html)
2. [Joe Lombardi, Baltimore Ravens coaches roster](https://www.baltimoreravens.com/team/coaches-roster/joe-lombardi)
3. [New Orleans Saints media guide, Joe Lombardi biography](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/upload/saints/ixmlu24siljhps376i9w.pdf)
4. [Joe Lombardi reunites with Sean Payton as new Broncos offensive coordinator, NFL.com](https://www.nfl.com/news/joe-lombardi-reunites-with-sean-payton-as-new-broncos-offensive-coordinator)
5. [The League, The Washington Post (February 4, 2010)](https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/2010/02/04/the-league/da529a53-7ebb-49ab-a1a1-4e113d88fa30/)
6. [A closer look at Joe Lombardi's coaching career, Pride Of Detroit](https://www.prideofdetroit.com/2014/1/23/5335366/joe-lombardi-lions-coaching-history)
7. [Air Force graduate Joe Lombardi carries on legendary family name in NFL coaching career, The Gazette](https://gazette.com/2018/08/04/air-force-graduate-joe-lombardi-carries-on-legendary-family-name-in-nfl-coaching-career-b0d96bb6-9835-11e8-8fc6-3b36e3b30a23/)
8. [The Texans have completed an interview with Joe Lombardi for the head coaching position, HoustonTexans.com](https://www.houstontexans.com/news/joe-lombardi-s-biography-houston-texans-head-coach-search)
9. [Joe Lombardi, 2021 Los Angeles Chargers media guide](https://static.www.nfl.com/league/apps/league-site/media-guides/2021/LAC.pdf)
10. [Lions fire offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi, NFL.com](https://www.nfl.com/news/lions-fire-offensive-coordinator-joe-lombardi-0ap3000000566406)
11. [10 questions with New Orleans Saints quarterbacks coach Joe Lombardi, NewOrleansSaints.com](https://www.neworleanssaints.com/news/10-questions-with-new-orleans-saints-quarterbacks-coach-joe-lombardi)
12. [5 Things to Know: Chargers Offensive Coordinator Joe Lombardi, Chargers.com](https://www.chargers.com/news/joe-lombardi-offensive-coordinator-5-things-to-know)
13. [Joe Lombardi, 2025 Denver Broncos media guide](https://static.www.nfl.com/image/upload/league/apps/league-site/media-guides/2025/DEN.pdf)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Other team and ball sports › Rugby and other football codes › American football players, coaches, and executives › Offensive assistant coaches*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*
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License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license