Clancy Barone enters his first season as tight ends coach of the New Orleans Saints. Barone has 34 years of coaching experience, his first 17 at the collegiate level and his last 17 in the NFL. New Orleans will be the sixth NFL stop for Barone, having most recently served as tight ends coach for the Chicago Bears from 2020-21.
Prior to his Bears tenure, Barone has coached either tight ends or offensive line with the Falcons (2004-06), Chargers (2007-08), Broncos (2009-16), Vikings (2017-18). As a tight ends coach, Barone has had four players voted to the Pro Bowl with four different teams: the Falcons' Alge Crumpler, the Chargers' Antonio Gates, the Broncos' Julius Thomas and the Vikings' Kyle Rudolph.
In his two seasons in Chicago, Barone oversaw high-level performances from veterans, as well as developing younger players. In 2021, Cole Kmet posted a career-high 60 receptions for a career-best 612 yards in his second season. In 2020, the Bears returned to the postseason after a one-year absence as Jimmy Graham led the team with eight touchdown catches, the second-most among NFC tight ends and his most since 2017-on 50 receptions, adding one more scoring grab in the playoffs.
Prior to Chicago, Barone served as the tight ends coach (2017) and co-offensive line coach with the Vikings. His tight ends were a valuable part of the club's 13-3 season in 2017 and advancing to the NFC Championship game, as Rudolph was selected to the Pro Bowl, when he recorded 57 receptions for 532 yards with eight touchdowns.
Prior to his time in Minnesota, Barone spent eight seasons in Denver coaching tight ends (2009, 2011-14) and offensive line (2010, 2015-16). The Broncos won Super Bowl 50 and played in Super Bowl XLVIII against Seattle during his tenure. Thomas was selected to back-to-back Pro Bowls under Barone's supervision from 2013-14, a period when he ranked second in the NFL in touchdown receptions (24), tying for the league lead in 2014 (12).
From 2007-08, Barone coached tight ends for San Diego, as the Chargers captured back-to-back AFC West titles and Gates was selected to the Pro Bowl each season. During Barone's two seasons in San Diego, Gates was tied for the league lead among tight ends in touchdown receptions (17), and was ranked in the top four in receptions (135-fourth) and receiving yards (1,688-third).
In 2004, Barone got the call for his first NFL coaching position as the assistant offensive line coach in Atlanta. The Falcons led the NFL and set franchise records in both yards per rush (5.1) and rushing yards per game (167.0) on their way to an NFC Championship Game berth. The Falcons went 11-5 in the regular season to capture the NFC South title. The 2005 season marked Barone's first as a tight ends coach at any level when he took on that role for the Falcons. Crumpler was selected to the Pro Bowl both seasons under Barone's guidance, first posting a career-high 65 receptions for a career-best 877 yards and five touchdowns in 2005. In 2006, Crumpler posted 56 receptions for 780 yards and a career-high eight touchdowns, ranked second among NFL tight ends.
Barone's coaching career began in the college ranks, serving 17 years coaching offensive lines at seven institutions. Barone spent the final seven years of his collegiate coaching career serving as offensive coordinator from 1997-2003 at the University of Wyoming (1997-99), University of Houston (2000-02) and Texas State (2003). He also served as the offensive line coach at both Wyoming and Houston and was the assistant head coach for his season at Texas State.
A native of San Andreas, California, Barone attended Red Bluff (Calif.) High School, where he is a member of the school's Hall of Fame. He attended and played on the offensive line first at the University of Nevada and later at Sacramento State University, where he holds a place in the Hornets Athletic Hall of Fame.
PLAYING CAREER: Nevada, 1983-84; Sacramento State, 1985-86.
COACHING CAREER: American River College, 1987-90; Sacramento State, 1991-92; Texas A&M, 1993; Eastern Illinois, 1994-96; University of Wyoming, 1997-99; University of Houston, 2000-02; Texas State University, 2003; Atlanta Falcons, 2004-06; San Diego Chargers, 2007-08; Denver Broncos, 2009-16; Minnesota Vikings, 2017-18; Chicago Bears, 2020-21; New Orleans Saints, 2023-.
