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Rams Hire Former Pitt QB
Dec 1, 2024; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; New England Patriots offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt works on the sideline during the second half against the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images Eric Canha-Imagn Images

PITTSBURGH — The Los Angeles Rams added a former Pitt Panthers quarterback to their staff for next season.

The Rams announced a number of new hires to their coaching staff for 2025, which includes Alex Van Pelt as a senior offensive assistant.

Van Pelt played quarterback for Pitt from 1989-92 and he finished with 11,267 passing yards and 64 touchdowns, ranking No. 2 and No. 4 in a career in program history.

His most successful season was as a freshman in 1989, leading Pitt to a 8-3-1 record and a 31-28 win over then ranked No. 16 Texas A&M in the Sun Bowl.

Van Pelt also threw for 2,881 yards, 2,770 yards of total offense and 17 touchdowns, all Pitt freshman records. His passing yards also rank eighth most in a season in program history.

He threw for his most passing yards as a senior in 1992, 3,163, which ranks fourth most in Panthers history.

Following his collegiate career, the Pittsburgh Steelers drafted Van Pelt in the 8th Round of the 1993 NFL Draft. They cut him and he then served on the practice squad for the Kansas Chiefs.

He would play for the Buffalo Bills for 10 seasons from 1994-2003. Van Pelt made 11 starts, appeared in 31 games and threw 16 touchdowns in his 11-year NFL career.

Van Pelt went into coaching after his career, working as quarterbacks coach for the Frankfurt Galaxy and as a volunteer quarterbacks coach for the University of Buffalo in 2005.

He then spent the next four seasons, 2006-09, with the Bills. He spent the first two seasons as an offensive quality control coach, 2008 as quarterbacks coach and 2009 as both offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach.

Van Pelt worked for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for two seasons, 2010-11, as their quarterbacks coach.

He then went to the Green Bay Packers for the next six seasons. He worked as running backs coach from 2012-13 and then quarterbacks coach from 2014-17.

Van Pelt spent two seasons as quarterbacks coach for the Cincinnati Bengals, 2018-19, and then the next four seasons as the offensive coordinator for the Cleveland Browns.

He served as the honorary captain for Pitt in their 34-23 Week 14 road loss to Boston College, as he spent last season as the offensive coordinator for the New England Patriots, under head coach Jarod Mayo.

The Patriots fired Mayo after just one season and didn't retain Van Pelt, allowing him to join his seventh NFL franchise as a coach.

This article first appeared on Pittsburgh Panthers on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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