Entering his sixth season as a coach in the NFL, Justin Outten begins his third year with the Packers in 2021 as the club's tight ends coach.
Named to his position on Jan. 24, 2019, by Head Coach Matt LaFleur, Outten (OW-ten) joined Green Bay after spending three seasons with the Atlanta Falcons, serving as an offensive intern in 2016 and as an offensive assistant in 2017-18. In all three of his seasons in Atlanta, Outten assisted with the offensive line.
Last season, Outten mentored TE Robert Tonyan as he tied the single-season franchise record (Paul Coffman, 1983) for the most TD receptions by a tight end, finishing with a career-high 11 TDs (No. 2 on the team) while also recording career highs with 52 receptions (No. 2) and 586 receiving yards. Tonyan also tied for No. 1 in the NFL in TD receptions among tight ends (Travis Kelce, 11), becoming the first Packer to rank first in the NFL among TEs since Bubba Franks (tied for No. 1 in 2002), and ranked No. 4 among league TEs (min. 50 rec.) with an average of 11.3 yards per catch. Outten's tight-end group also helped clear holes for a Green Bay offense that ranked No. 8 in the league in rushing (132.4 ypg) and No. 7 in yards per carry (4.78).
In 2019, Outten saw four of his tight ends (Jimmy Graham, Marcedes Lewis, Tonyan, Jace Sternberger) catch a TD pass (including playoffs), the most by the Packers since four tight ends posted TD receptions in 2010. His tight-end group helped the offense rank No. 2 in the league in giveaways (13), No. 1 in zero-turnover games (nine) and No. 8 in red-zone TD percentage (64.0). They contributed to an offense that recorded 18 rushing TDs, which was tied for No. 7 in the NFL and was the most by Green Bay since 2009 (20).
During his three seasons with the Falcons, Outten was part of an offensive staff that helped the team rank No. 1 in the league over that span in yards per play (6.26), No. 3 in total offense (389.9 ypg), passing offense (278.5 ypg) and plays of 10-plus yards (730), No. 4 in scoring (27.2 ppg), No. 6 in giveaways (47) and No. 7 in yards per carry (4.45).
In 2018 with Atlanta, Outten helped the Falcons rank in the top 10 in the league in several offensive categories, including third-down percentage (No. 4, 45.3), total offense (No. 6, 389.1 ypg), passing offense (No. 4, 290.8 ypg), scoring (No. 10, 25.9 ppg) and giveaways (t-No. 7, 18). Atlanta also generated 250 plays of 10-plus yards, good for No. 4 in the NFL. C Alex Mack and T Jake Matthews were both selected to the Pro Bowl, the first time since 1983 (T Mike Kenn, G R.C. Thielemann) that the Falcons had a pair of offensive linemen named to the all-star game. Outten was promoted to assistant offensive line coach following the 2018 season.
In Outten's first season as offensive assistant in 2017, the Falcons led the league in third-down percentage (44.7 percent), which was the sixth-best mark in team history to that point. Atlanta was tied for No. 3 in the league in sacks allowed with just 24, the top total posted by the Falcons since 2010 (23), and checked in at No. 8 in the NFL in both total offense (364.8 ypg) and passing offense (249.4).
As an offensive intern in '16, Outten was part of a staff that helped Atlanta set franchise records for total offense (415.8 ypg), points scored (540), passing offense (295.3 ypg) and yards per play (6.7) as the Falcons won the NFC title for only the second time in franchise history. Atlanta led the league in plays of 10-plus yards (250) and TDs of 10-plus yards (27) and ranked No. 5 in the NFL in both rushing offense (120.5 ypg) and yards per carry, with an average of 4.58 that was the fourth-best single-season mark in team history.
Outten coached at Westfield High School in Houston from 2008-15, where he served as the assistant head coach/offensive coordinator/offensive line coach. During his time at the school, he helped coach 24 offensive linemen who received scholarships to play on the collegiate level.
Outten's first coaching experience came at Syracuse as a graduate assistant in 2007, where he worked with the offensive line. Outten was a two-year letterman as a center at Syracuse, appearing in all 23 games with 22 starts during his final two seasons (2005-06) with the Orange. He was selected as a team captain as a senior and was a part of a team that won the Big East title in 2004.
Born Oct. 26, 1983, in Doylestown, Pa., Outten attended Central Bucks West High School in Doylestown. He and his wife, Vanessa, have a daughter, Bella, and a son, Jayce.
