Steve Crosby
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31st NFL Season, 7th with Chargers
Steve Crosby’s troops had yet another memorable season in 2007.
Kassim Osgood, a fearless cover man, was selected to his second-straight Pro Bowl. It marked the third year in a row that one of Crosby’s coverage specialists earned an all-star invitation.
Punter Mike Scifres was named as a first-alternate to the Pro Bowl for the third time in the last four years after averaging a career-high 46.1 yards per punt. It was the second-highest season average in team history. His 39.6-yard net punting average was the NFL’s third best, while his 36 punts inside the 20 were the league’s second-best. Due to the combination of Scifres’ leg and the Bolts’ outstanding coverage units, the Chargers only allowed 29 punts to be returned, the seventh-fewest in the NFL.
Also earning Pro Bowl alternate honors was Darren Sproles, a second-alternate who was the NFL’s fifth-leading kickoff returner and its seventh leading punt returner. In the Chargers nationally televised Nov. 11 game against Indianapolis, Sproles became only the ninth player in NFL history to return a punt and a kickoff for a touchdown in the same game.
Long snapper David Binn, who earned his first Pro Bowl nod in 2006, followed it up with another flawless season and kicker Nate Kaeding, who also garnered his first all-star nod in ’06, went 24 of 27 on field goal tries to rank fifth in the league in conversion percentage. Rookie linebacker Brandon Siler led the team in special teams tackles and his 23-yard return of a fumbled kickoff Week 5 at Denver gave the Chargers a 14-0 early lead and helped pave the way for an important 41-3 win at Invesco Field that put the brakes on a three-game losing streak.
Following the 2007 season, Crosby was named Special Teams Coach of the Year by Professional Kicking Services, Inc., an independent organization that arranges NFL free agent tryouts for punters and kickers.
Crosby has spent 30 years in the NFL, including three seasons as a player, four as a scout and 23 as a coach. He is among a rare breed of NFL coaches, ranking among the few who can claim to have spent time as a coordinator at multiple positions. Crosby’s resume includes stints as both an offensive and special teams coordinator. Another such coach is Bill Belichick, whom Crosby coached with in Cleveland. Belichick has been both a defensive and special teams coordinator himself during his NFL coaching career.
Crosby began his career in professional football as a running back with the New York Giants during the 1974-76 seasons. Following his retirement, he joined the Miami Dolphins, serving as a scout, as well as a special teams and linebackers coach. Crosby was part of the staff that guided Miami to the Super Bowl in 1983.
Crosby also coached for the Atlanta Falcons, New England Patriots, and Cleveland Browns. He is the last NFL position coach to have two running backs rush for more than 1,000 yards in the same season. Earnest Byner and Kevin Mack both surpassed the 1,000-yard mark for Cleveland in 1985.
Crosby was an All-America running back at Fort Hays State in Hays, Kansas. He was twice named to the NAIA All-America team and he was a three-time all-conference performer before being selected by the Giants in the 17th round of the 1974 NFL Draft. Crosby earned Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in physical education from Fort Hays State.
Crosby was born in Great Bend, Kansas and attended Pawnee Rock High School. He and his wife, Lisa, have three children: sons Matthew and Jeffrey and daughter Lauren. Matthew is one of the top players on the Baylor University Men’s Golf Team. He is also Chief Justice of the University’s Student Supreme Court, the first student-athlete in school history to serve on the court. Matt is a political science major, who is also studying Russian. Jeff is currently studying at Palomar College and will attend North Texas University in the fall. Lauren is completing her freshman year at San Pasqual High School and is a member of the school’s cheerleading team.
