John Palermo enters his second season as the Redskins’ defensive line coach after a decorated collegiate coaching career that spanned 30 seasons.
In his first season with the Redskins, Palermo’s defensive line helped Washington rank fourth overall in yards allowed per game (288.8) and eighth overall in rushing yards per game (95.4) in 2008.
The Redskins’ defense also limited their opponents to the sixth-fewest points per game (18.5) last season.
Washington’s defensive line registered 19 sacks in 2008, and this past offseason, the Redskins signed the top free agent in the National Football League in DT Albert Haynesworth, who posted a career-best 8.5 sacks with the Tennessee Titans last year.
Prior to joining the Redskins, Palermo was one of the most respected defensive line coaches in college football. He coached on 18 bowl teams, including Notre Dame’s 1988 NCAA National Championship club and three Wisconsin teams that won the Big Ten and the Rose Bowl (1993, 1998 and 1999).
Palermo’s last collegiate coaching position was a one-year stint as defensive coordinator/linebackers coach at Tennessee Tech. Prior to that, he was a defensive line coach for one season at the University of Miami.
The Hurricanes defense, anchored by Palermo's line, set a school record by limiting opponents to just 252.0 yards per game and 66.0 rushing yards per game. The defense ranked among national leaders in total defense and rush defense.
From 1991-2005, Palermo served as an assistant head coach at the University of Wisconsin. He directed the Badgers' outside linebackers from 1991-95 and the defensive line from 1996-2005.
While at Wisconsin, Palermo produced four first-team All-Americans. His players were selected Big Ten Defensive Lineman of the Year four times--two were named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year--and named first-team All-Big Ten nine times.
Eight of Palermo’s defensive linemen have been chosen in the first six rounds of the NFL Draft, including two--Wendell Bryant in 2002 and Erasmus James in 2005--who were taken in the first round. Palermo’s entire 2004 defensive line was selected in the NFL Draft the following spring.
In 1990, Palermo spent one season as the head coach at Austin Peay University.
From 1988-89, Palermo was the defensive line coach for head coach Lou Holtz at Notre Dame, helping the Fighting Irish win the National Championship in his first year. He helped tutor Chris Zorich, a two-time consensus All-American and 1990 winner of the Lombardi Award, given annually to college football's best lineman or linebacker.
At Notre Dame, Palermo worked with current Redskins Executive Vice President of Football Operations Vinny Cerrato, who served as football recruiting coordinator for the Fighting Irish at that time.
Palermo coached the defensive line at Minnesota from 1984-87, served as assistant head coach-defensive line and linebackers coach at Appalachian State from 1983-84, coached the defensive line at Memphis State from 1980-82.
He had a first stint at Austin Peay in 1979 as a defensive line coach.
Palermo began his coaching career as an assistant at North Carolina State from 1977-78.
A native of Newburgh, N.Y., Palermo lettered at Florida State in 1972-73. He earned a degree in education from Florida State in 1974. He and his wife Donna have a son Jason and a daughter Jessica, who is a graduate student at Georgetown University.
