Former NFL Head Coach of the Year Jim Haslett joins the United Football League as Head Coach of the Florida Tuskers.

In 2000, Haslett guided the New Orleans Saints to a 10-6 regular season record, its second NFC West Division Championship and its first playoff victory in franchise history. 

Haslett began his NFL coaching career as a linebackers coach for the Oakland Raiders in 1993 before moving to New Orleans as linebacker coach (1995) and then defensive coordinator (1996).  Haslett left New Orleans to coordinate the Pittsburgh Steelers defense from 1997-1999 before being invited back to the Saints as head coach where he remained for six seasons.   Haslett became the St. Louis Rams’ defensive coordinator to start the 2006 season before advancing to interim head coach in 2008 and winning his first two games.

Haslett attended Indiana University of Pennsylvania and was selected in the second round of the 1979 NFL Draft by the Buffalo Bills.  In his inaugural season, Haslett was named NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year.  He competed as a linebacker for the Buffalo Bills until 1985 before completing his playing career in 1987 as a member of the New York Jets. 

In 2002, Haslett was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.  He and his wife Beth have three children, Kelsey (18), Chase (16) and Libby (13).

Bill Bradley joins the Florida Tuskers as Secondary Coach.  A former All-Pro safety for the Philadelphia Eagles, Bradley recently completed two seasons as the San Diego Charger’s Secondary Coach.  In Bradley’s first year with the team and the first time in franchise history, the Chargers led the NFL in regular-season interceptions (30) and in playoff interceptions (6).  The team also led the league in total takeaways (48) and turnover margin (+24).
Before joining the Chargers, Bradley worked with the Buffalo Bills (1998-2000) and the New York Jets (2001-03) as Defensive Backs Coach.  In Buffalo, Bradley’s secondary led the NFL in pass defense in 1999 and ranked fourth in 2000.  During two of Bradley’s three seasons in New York, the Jets ranked in the NFL’s top 10 in pass defense, finishing seventh in 2001 and 10th in 2003.

Bradley left the NFL after the 2003 season to serve as Defensive Coordinator at Baylor University.  In 2005, under Bradley’s guidance, Baylor ranked 13th in the nation in pass efficiency and allowed the fewest total yards, rushing yards and points per game by a Bear’s squad since 1995.

Bradley’s knowledge on the sidelines comes from the experience he garnered on the field.  Selected in the third round of the 1969 NFL Draft by the Eagles as a punter/player, Bradley went on to earn three All-Pro awards (1971-73) at free safety. Bradley also served as the team’s kick returner.  Bradley, who led the NFL in interceptions in both 1971 (11) and 1972 (9), became the first player ever to lead the league in interceptions in consecutive seasons, a feat that has only been matched one since.  He still holds the team record for career interception return yards with 536.  A standout at the University of Texas, Bradley set a school single-game record with four interceptions in the Longhorns’ 35-14 win over arch-rival Texas A&M, a mark that stands as the best-ever by a SWC player.

Bradley is a member of the Texas High School, University of Texas and Philadelphia Eagles Hall of Fame and was recently selected to be inducted into the Texas Sports Hall of Fame.  He and his wife Susan have two children.
 

Chuck Bresnahan joins the Florida Tuskers as Linebackers Coach. Bresnahan completed four seasons as a member of the Cincinnati Bengals’ coaching staff, the final three as Defensive Coordinator. In his first two seasons as coordinator, the Bengals ranked first in the AFC and second in the NFL in takeaways. The Bengals also captured their first Division Title in 17 years.

Bresnahan joined the Bengals in 2004 as an assistant coach and was promoted to the coordinator’s position a year later. An NFL coach since 1994, Bresnahan spent two seasons with Cleveland as Linebackers / Quality Control Coach and two seasons with Indianapolis as Linebackers Coach before moving to Oakland in 1998. As Defensive Backs Coach for the Raiders, he assisted CB Charles Woodson to the Pro Bowl in Woodson’s first two seasons. In 2000, Bresnahan took over as Defensive Coordinator, a post he would hold for another three seasons. During this time, the Raiders captured 3 consecutive AFC West Division Titles. In 2002, his defense helped carry Oakland to the AFC Championship and a spot in Super Bowl XXXVII.

Bresnahan played Linebacker at Navy from 1979-1982, and from 1984 -1986 was a commissioned officer in the Navy. Prior to his 1983 assignment to military duty, Bresnahan launched his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Navy. He completed his military duty in time to return to Navy for the 1986 football season as Wide Receivers and Tight Ends Coach. Bresnahan also coached at Georgia Tech helping them capture the 1990 UPI National Championship. He also coached at the University of Maine as Defensive Coordinator / Linebackers Coach.

Bresnahan was raised in a football family. His father, Tom, has coached at various levels for more than 40 years, including 16 seasons in NFL positions and four Super Bowl appearances (XXV-XXVIII) with the Buffalo Bills. Bresnahan and his wife Erin have four daughters: Megan, Caitlin, Caroline and Danielle.

Jay Gruden joins the Florida Tuskers as Offensive Coordinator.  Having served as both a player and coach for the past 19 years, Gruden brings a wealth of talent and experience to the UFL.   

Gruden spent 17 seasons in the Arena Football League, acquiring six Championship titles and consistently rewriting the league’s history books.  As starting quarterback in Tampa Bay, Gruden led the Storm to an unprecedented four ArenaBowl titles in six seasons.  During his playing career, Gruden racked up two All-Arena selections and grabbed the 1992 MVP honors.  He would throw for more than 15,000 yards and 280 touchdowns while leading the Storm to six consecutive playoff appearances.

As head coach of the Orlando Predators (1998-2001, 2004-2008), Gruden led his team to four ArenaBowl appearances with two championships and ranks sixth overall in AFL wins with a 82-54 regular-season record.  His first coaching title came in 1998 with a 62-31 win over Tampa Bay at ArenaBowl XII and the second, a 41-38 win over the Nashville Kats in 2000.  In one of the most unusual moves in AFL history, Gruden resigned as head coach of the Predators to return to the playing field as the team’s quarterback and brought the team to two post-season appearances.  He returned to the Predators sidelines as Head Coach and Director of Football Operations in July 2003.

For his AFL career, Gruden has posted some truly remarkable numbers.   As a head coach, he is 93-61-0 and ranks in the top 10 overall in coaching wins and winning percentage.  He is one of only five AFL coaches with two or more ArenaBowl championships.  In the playoffs, Gruden's 13-7 mark as a head coach ranks in the top five all-time in victories and winning percentage.  As a quarterback, he ranks in the top ten with more than 20,000 passing yards and close to 400 touchdowns.  He won 15 of 19 post-season starts with 4,761 passing yards and 77 touchdowns.  Gruden was 84-25 (.770) as a starting quarterback.  That mark, combined with his 10-5 record as Nashville’s offensive coordinator and his 76-43 record as head coach, takes Gruden’s all-time Arena Football League record to 170-74 (.697).  As a player, assistant coach or head coach, Gruden has never failed to lead his team to the playoffs.

Gruden’s success as a coach is not confined to Arena Football.  For the past seven seasons, he has served as an offensive assistant for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League. In that capacity, Gruden earned his seventh professional championship ring when the Bucs won the 2002 Super Bowl.

A four-year letterman at Louisville (1985-88), Gruden finished his collegiate career with 7,024 passing yards, completing 572 of 1049 passes for 44 touchdowns.  All four stats still rank in the top five in Cardinals' history.  Gruden hails from a football family.  His father Jim is a long-time college and NFL assistant coach and NFL scout; while his brother Jon has served as head coach to several NFL franchises including the Tampa Bay Bucs and the Oakland Raiders.  Gruden currently resides in Orlando with his wife Sherry and their three sons.
 
 

Carl “Big Daddy” Hairston joins the Florida Tuskers as Defensive Line Coach after having spent the past 33 seasons in the National Football League.  He has been coaching for the past 14 seasons, spent 4 years as a pro/college scout and 15 seasons as a player.  Hairston brings with him a wealth of experience, having played in one Super Bowl and coached in another.

Most recently, Hairston coached defensive ends for the Green Bay Packers from 2006 through 2008.  Under Hairston’s tutelage in Green Bay, defensive end Aaron Kampman went to two straight Pro Bowls, Cullen Jenkins emerged as a quality every-down end, and Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila thrived in his pass-rush specialist role. 

Hairston joined the Packers from Kansas City, where he spent five seasons in his second stint with the club. Originally drafted by Dick Vermeil’s Eagles, Hairston was on the field as a player or an assistant coach for every game of Vermeil’s NFL head coaching tenures. Prior to his second tour with the Chiefs, Hairston reunited with Vermeil for a memorable run with the St. Louis Rams (1997-2000).  In 1999, when the Rams won Super Bowl XXXIV, Hairston's unit provided most of St. Louis’ 57 sacks, which tied for best in the league. 

Hairston began his coaching career under Marty Schottenheimer as Kansas City’s defensive line coach (1995-96).  Tutoring one of the league’s most-feared defensive fronts, Hairston and his players helped the 13-3 Chiefs win the AFC West in 1995, when the team finished third in the NFL and second in the AFC with 47 sacks. 

Originally a pro scout with the Chiefs in 1994, Hairston also assisted with the defensive line during training camp that season.   Earlier, he spent three years (1991-93) as a college scout with the then-Phoenix Cardinals, where he had finished his playing career.

One of the finest defensive linemen of his era, Hairston played 15 distinguished seasons in the NFL.  He appeared in 224 NFL contests (184 starts), posted 94 sacks among 1,141 tackles and played in 15 postseason contests, including one Super Bowl and four conference championship games (‘80 NFC, ‘86 AFC, ‘87 AFC and ‘89 AFC).

Selected in the seventh round (191st overall) of the 1976 draft by Vermeil, then a rookie head coach with the Eagles, Hairston preceded Reggie White on the Philadelphia defensive line.  Starting each of his eight seasons (1976-83) with the Eagles, he captained the defense from 1979-83 and recorded 100-or-more tackles for five straight years (1977-81). In 1979, he led the Eagles and the NFC with a career-best 15 sacks.  A year later, Hairston served as a starting defensive end in Super Bowl XV against the Oakland Raiders.  Following his career in Philadelphia, Hairston spent six years in Cleveland (1984-89) and one final campaign with the Cardinals (1990).
 
A four-year starter as a linebacker and defensive end at Maryland-Eastern Shore, Hairston earned all-conference honors on three occasions and also played one season of basketball.  He graduated from the school in 1985 with a degree in physical education.  In 2005, Hairston was inducted into the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Hall of Fame.
 

Bill Laveroni joins the Florida Tuskers as Offensive Line Coach.  Laveroni has been coaching football for more than 37 years and has worked with high school players up to the pros.
 
From 2004-07, Laveroni served as Offensive Line Coach for the Seattle Seahawks where, under his guidance, the offensive line assisted Shaun Alexander in rushing for a club record of 1,696 yards in 2004.  During Laveroni’s entire tenure in Seattle, the Seahawks consecutively won the NFC West Division.  Laveroni also spent the 2002-03 season in Seattle as the assistant offensive line coach, working with Tom Lovat in developing run game plans. 

Prior to moving to the NFL, Laveroni served as Offensive Line Coach for several top universities including Vanderbilt (2001-02), Rutgers (1996-2000), San Jose University (1990-94), California-Berkley (1983-89) and Utah State (1978-82). Laveroni’s duties included designing the offensive game plan, recruitment and player leadership development.  Laveroni also served as Offensive/Defensive Line Coach for the Arena League’s San Jose Sabercats, leading the team to a division title and playoff appearance in its first year.

Laveroni and his wife Patty have one son.

Sean McVay joins the Florida Tuskers as Quality Control/Wide Receivers Coach.  McVay spent the 2008 season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as an Offensive Assistant.  While in Tampa Bay, he worked closely with all members of the offensive coaching staff in the preparation and implementation of the offensive game plan.  McVay was also instrumental in helping guide WR Antonio Bryant to 83 receptions for 1,248 yards and seven touchdowns, culminating in Bryant's The Sporting News Comeback Player of the Year Award.

McVay played college football at Miami (OH) University from 2004-07 where he was a starting kick returner and wide receiver.  In 2007, he received Miami's Scholar-Athlete Award.  In his senior year at Marist High School in Atlanta, Ga., McVay led his team to a state championship as quarterback while earning Georgia 4A Offensive Player of the Year honors.

Ricky Porter joins the Florida Tuskers as the Director of Operations/Running Backs.  A 25-year veteran of the NFL with two Super Bowl rings, he most recently served as Director of Player Development for the New Orleans Saints.  Prior to joining the Saints, Porter spent three years on the Denver Broncos’ coaching staff, beginning as offensive assistant in 1997.  Porter fulfilled a similar role the previous season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Porter is quite familiar with the finding and cultivating of raw football talent having worked as a scout for National Football Scouting covering the Ohio Valley Region.  Through the NFL’s Minority Coaching Fellowship Program, Porter has worked with several NFL franchises including the Buffalo Bills (1991), New Orleans Saints (1993) and Detroit Lions (1994).  Porter’s first full-time entry into coaching was at his alma mater, Slippery Rock State University, where he coached the running backs and special teams in 1990-91 before moving on to Kent State from 1992-93.

Prior to becoming a coach, Porter played eight seasons with the NFL.  He began as a running back for the Detroit Lions (1982) followed by stints with the Baltimore Colts (1983) and the Buffalo Bills (1987-89).  Porter also played for the USFL’s Memphis Showboats (1985-86) and the CFL’s Montreal Alouettes from 1986 until the club folded during the 1987 season.

A member of the Slippery Rock Sports Hall of Fame, Porter was the first player ever drafted from the Division II school, chosen by Detroit Lions in 1982, after leading the nation in rushing his senior year.  He was also a star baseball player and track runner for the Rockets and in 1990; he tested his baseball skills as a member of the Baltimore Orioles’ AAA Rochester Red Wings.  Porter holds a bachelor’s degree in communications from Slippery Rock and a master’s degree in athletic administration from Kent State. Porter and his wife, Carla, have two sons.

An 18-year  veteran as NFL special teams coach, Al Roberts joins the Florida Tuskers as Special Teams/Tight End Coach.  Roberts is a demonstrative coach who seeks to establish a true motivational relationship with his players.

Roberts broke into the NFL in 1984-85 as running backs and special teams’ coach with the Houston Oilers.  He was rejoined the NFL from 1988-90 as special teams’ coach in Philadelphia under Buddy Ryan.  He moved to the N.Y. Jets from 1991-93 under head coach Bruce Coslet.

In 1994, Buddy Ryan became head coach of the Arizona Cardinals and invited Roberts back to his staff.  Roberts left the Cardinals after the ’95 season, in conjunction with Ryan’s departure, and spent 1996 as running backs and special teams coach at the University of Washington.  Roberts’ prize pupil with the Huskies was former New England Patriots HB Corey Dillon, and the two formed a close relationship as Dillon broke six school records.  Another prize pupil of Roberts is Arizona Cardinals Kicker Neil Rackers, who set the all time NFL field goal record in 2006 with 33 straight.

In 1997, Bruce Coslet hired Roberts back into the NFL with the Bengals, becoming the second NFL head coach to ask Roberts back for an encore stint after the head coach changed teams.

Roberts has 11 seasons of college coaching experience.  In seven of those seasons, his teams advanced to bowl games:  1978 Rose Bowl, 1979 Sun Bowl, 1980 Rose Bowl, 1981 Rose Bowl, 1983 Aloha Bowl, 1887 Holiday Bowl and the 1996 Holiday Bowl.

Born in Fresno, Calif., on Jan. 6, 1944, Roberts’ played high school football in Merced, Calif., and played in college at Washington (1964-65) and Puget Sound (1967-68).  He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Puget Sound.  Al and his wife Arvella, have two sons; Kali and Kyle and a daughter, Genesis.  They also have one granddaughter, Laryssa.