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College football fans buzz as the word runs that former NFL assistant coach Vinnie Sunseri will be the new co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach for the Florida Gators, according to multiple media outlets.
Florida made it official Thursday.
“Vinnie Sunseri has a great pedigree coming from a football family and has also played and coached for exceptional coaches throughout his career,” Florida coach Billy Napier said on the school’s website. “He is a two-time national champion with NFL and collegiate experience. Vinnie will help our organization improve as we continue to build. I’m excited to welcome he and his wife, Kaci, to Gainesville.”
Sunseri and his brother, Tino Sunseri, follow after their father on the football path. Tino is the Indiana quarterback coach, but previously took coaching jobs at Alabama, Tennessee and Florida State.
Their father, Sal Sunseri, has a long football coaching history as a veteran coach for almost 40 seasons. Sal has coached 10 years in the NFL and 26 years at the Power-5 level in college football. Sal coached at Florida State, Tennessee, Oakland Raiders and even one season at Florida in 2018.
BREAKING: Jacksonville State DC Vinnie Sunseri is accepting a job at Florida to be the CO-DC and Safety’s Coach. pic.twitter.com/EkTQGfiZCD
— Florida Gators (@gatorsszn) January 25, 2025
Who Is Vinnie Sunseri?
Vinnie Sunseri has a football history and plenty of knowledge to take on the position at Florida. With a past of playing for the Alabama Crimson Tide, Sunseri was on the 2011 and 2012 National Championship teams as a safety under legendary coach Nick Saban.
After college, he was drafted by the New Orleans Saints in the fifth round of the 2014 NFL draft. Sunseri, a Pittsburgh, Pa., native, never played in an NFL game. However, coach Bill Belichick hired him in 2020 as a defensive assistant, followed by the running backs coach from 2021-2023.
72 Days until Alabama Football, Vinnie Sunseri 72 yard pick-6 against Texas A&M pic.twitter.com/I3wIapWcor
— DEE SPORTS GUY (@DSports75727469) June 19, 2024
Sunseri, 33, had just taken the defensive coordinator job at Jacksonville (Alabama) State after spending last year as the safeties coach at Washington under Jedd Fisch, who was a graduate assistant under Steve Spurrier in 1999-2000.
Future at Florida
Florida’s opening for a co-defensive coordinator on Napier’s staff became available after former co-coordinator Austin Armstrong left to take the defensive coordinator job at Houston before the bowl game in December. Armstrong was the youngest coordinator in the power five after being hired at Florida at just 29 years old.
“I’m incredibly excited to join Coach Napier, his outstanding staff and the University of Florida,” Sunseri said to the school’s website. “Coaching in a premier conference like the SEC has been a lifelong dream. I’m ready to work with young, talented and motivated players and help them achieve success on and off the field.”
Sunseri has a bright future with the Gators as the team continues to grow in the offseason. Ending the season 8-5 after the Gasparilla Bowl win and checking in at No. 18 in the way-too-early college football top 25 ranking for the 2025-2026 season sets up UF for more success.
