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(Pictured Above: Freddie Kitchens)
Tempe, AZ – The Arizona Cardinals Football Club today announced the hiring of FREDDIE KITCHENS as tight ends coach, JEFF RUTLEDGE as quarterbacks coach, MIKE MILLER as offensive assistant, and MATT RAICH as defensive quality control coach. In addition, the team has announced that RICK COURTRIGHT will be retained as assistant defensive backs coach and RICHIE ANDERSON will switch from tight ends coach to wide receivers coach.
Kitchens comes to the Cardinals after spending the 2006 season as the tight ends coach for the Dallas Cowboys. A veteran of 10 seasons as a player and coach at the college level, Kitchens is entering his second year as an NFL assistant after helping to guide Cowboys tight end Jason Witten to his third consecutive Pro Bowl in 2006. He started his coaching career at Glenville College (1999) then worked as a graduate assistant under Nick Saban at LSU before coaching running backs at North Texas (2001-03). The Gadsden, Alabama native and former University of Alabama quarterback (1994-97) then coached two seasons at Mississippi State (2004-05) before moving to the NFL. A three-year starter at quarterback from the Crimson Tide, Kitchens finished his career with 4,668 yards and 30 touchdowns, ending his college tenure with a 22-13 record as a starter.
Rutledge is a 14-year NFL veteran as a quarterback for three different teams (LA Rams 1979-81, New York Giants 1983-89, Washington Redskins 1990-92). Rutledge finished his career with 274 completions on 526 attempts for 3,628 yards and 16 touchdowns in 117 games played. A two-time Super Bowl winner (XXI, XXVI), Rutledge played his college football at Alabama (1975-78) where he led the Crimson Tide to a national title in 1978 under legendary head coach Bear Bryant. He began his coaching career as the quarterbacks coach at Vanderbilt University from 1995-99 before moving to Bell Academy in 2002. He is entering his first NFL coaching position after spending the last five seasons as the head coach at Nashville’s Montgomery Bell Academy. While there, Rutledge compiled a 41-17 record and won the state championship in 2002 and 2003.
Miller joins the Cardinals after spending 2006 as the quarterbacks coach for the Berlin Thunder of NFL Europe. Miller, who started his NFL coaching career as an offensive assistant with the Pittsburgh Steelers (1999-2003), previously coached with the Buffalo Bills as tight ends coach (2004-05) and was also a quality control coach in 2004. A graduate of Clarion University, Miller got his start in coaching as a graduate assistant coaching running backs at Robert Morris College in Pennsylvania from 1997-98.
Raich comes to the Cardinals after spending the past three seasons as an offensive assistant with the Pittsburgh Steelers. A middle linebacker at Westminster College (1989-92) who finished his career as the school’s all-time leading tackler, Raich started his NFL career as an intern in the Steelers player personnel department (2002-03). Prior to joining the Steelers, Raich served two seasons as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at Robert Morris (2000-02) while also coaching at Glenville State (1999), Robert Morris (1996-99) and Westminster (1993-94).
Courtright spent the past three seasons as the defensive quality control coach with the Cardinals. Helping to work with the safeties the past three seasons, Courtright was instrumental in helping to guide Cardinals strong safety Adrian Wilson to his first career Pro Bowl selection in 2006. Prior to joining the Cardinals, Courtright spent 13 years as a college assistant coach with seven different schools.
Today’s hirings bring the number of assistants on Whisenhunt’s coaching staff to 14. Kitchens, Rutledge, Courtright, Miller, and Raich join offensive coordinator Todd Haley, defensive coordinator Clancy Pendergast, assistant head coach/offensive line Russ Grimm, wide receivers coach Richie Anderson, defensive backs coach Teryl Austin, running backs coach Maurice Carthon, linebackers coach Billy Davis, strength and conditioning coach John Lott, and special teams coach Kevin Spencer.
