Adam Gristick enters his first season in the NFL as a defensive assistant with the New Orleans Saints.
As a defensive assistant, Gristick's responsibilities include producing self-scout breakdown reports, compilation of scouting reports, breakdown of Saints opponents, the organization of playbooks and assisting Linebackers Coach Michael Hodges with the position group during practice.
Gristick came to New Orleans after serving on the coaching staff at Eastern Illinois University from 2018-22. His entire tenure in Charleston, he coached linebackers, adding the title of defensive game run coordinator in 2020. In 2022, he was promoted to defensive coordinator, while also continuing to coach the team's linebackers. Gristick came to Eastern Illinois after serving three seasons as an assistant at Syracuse, one as a defensive quality control coach and one as a graduate assistant. The Orefield, Pa. native's coaching career began in quality control at Missouri State in 2015.
Gristick played linebacker at Eastern Illinois from 2010-14, where as a three-year starter from 2012-14, he made 194 career tackles with 20 stops for loss and three interceptions, helping EIU capture back-to-back Ohio Valley Conference championships and FCS playoff appearances from 2012-13 He earned his bachelor's degree in exercise science in 2015
PLAYING CAREER: Eastern Illinois 2010-14.
COACHING CAREER: Missouri State, 2015; Syracuse, 2016-17; Eastern Illinois, 2018-22; New Orleans Saints, 2023-.
