Entering his sixth season in the NFL, Ryan Downard begins his fourth season with the Packers and his third as the team's assistant defensive backs coach.
Promoted to his current position on Jan. 31, 2019, by Head Coach Matt LaFleur, Downard (DOWN-erd) originally joined the club on Jan. 24, 2018, as the defensive quality control coach. His first NFL experience came in 2014-15 when he served as a defensive assistant with the Cleveland Browns.
The 2020 season saw the Packers' young and talented secondary take another step forward with the assistance of Downard. Third-year CB Jaire Alexander earned second-team All-Pro honors from The Associated Press, becoming the first Green Bay CB to earn All-Pro honors since Charles Woodson in 2011. Alexander was also named to his first career Pro Bowl in 2020, making him one of three CBs in franchise history to make the Pro Bowl in his first three seasons (Herb Adderley, 1963, third season; Willie Buchanon, 1973, second season).
Second-year S Darnell Savage also excelled in 2020, leading the team in INTs (four, t-No. 3 among NFL safeties) and ranking No. 2 in passes defensed (12, No. 2 among NFL safeties). Savage finished No. 4 on the team with 75 tackles (56 solo) while also recording three tackles for a loss, a sack, two QB hits and a fumble recovery, all career highs.
Downard's first season working with the secondary in 2019 saw him help oversee a group that helped the Packers rank tied for No. 3 in the NFL with 17 INTs, their highest total since also recording 17 INTs in 2016. Five members of Green Bay's secondary recorded two-plus INTs in 2019, the most by the team since it also had five in 2015. CB Kevin King had the best season of his career, posting career highs in interceptions (five, tied for No. 4 in NFL), passes defensed (18) and tackles (59). The Packers ranked No. 6 in the NFL in opponent passer rating (81.1) and No. 4 in opponent completion percentage (59.7).
Downard also assisted in the development of Alexander in 2019 as he was named a Pro Bowl alternate and led the team with a career-high 23 passes defensed. Savage, a first-round pick in 2019, was selected to the PFWA All-Rookie team.
In his first season with the Packers in 2018, Downard was part of a defensive staff that helped Green Bay rank tied for No. 8 in the league in sacks (44), the most by the Packers since they registered the same number in 2013. Green Bay's defense featured 16 different players with at least a half-sack in 2018, the second most in team history (since 1982) behind only the 1987 campaign (strike season) that had 17 players with a half-sack or more. The Packers ranked No. 12 in pass defense (234.5 ypg) in 2018 after the team finished No. 23 in the category in 2017.
Prior to coming to Green Bay, Downard spent two seasons at Bowling Green State, where he served as the safeties coach in 2017 after working as director of football operations in his first season at the school. As safeties coach, he was instrumental in the development of safety Marcus Milton, who tied for the team lead with three interceptions and ranked No. 4 on the team with 60 tackles in his first year after transitioning from cornerback. Downard also oversaw the development of Fred Garth, a junior-college transfer who led the Falcons with 95 total tackles. Garth's 95 tackles ranked No. 8 in the Mid-American Conference in 2017 and No. 1 among full-time defensive backs.
Downard spent the 2014-15 seasons as a defensive assistant with the Browns, assisting Cleveland's defensive backs in 2015 and the defensive line in 2014. In 2014, the Browns led the league in opponent passer rating (74.1) and opponent completion percentage (57.1) and ranked No. 2 in INTs (21). Cleveland's defense also was tied for No. 4 in the NFL in total takeaways (29) and ranked No. 9 in points allowed (21.1 ppg) that season.
Prior to joining the Browns, Downard was a graduate assistant at Texas Tech and Toledo. At Texas Tech, Downard assisted current Packers outside linebackers coach Mike Smith while Smith was the Red Raiders' co-defensive coordinator.
Downard played defensive back at Eastern Michigan (2007-10), where his six INTs in 2007 ranked No. 2 in the country among freshmen and No. 12 overall in the nation. His freshman campaign saw him earn Freshman All-America honorable mention from Scout.com. As a team captain his senior year, Downard finished No. 3 on the Eagles with 60 total tackles.
Downard was born June 22, 1988, in Lima, Ohio. He and his wife, Julie, live in Hobart, with their three sons, Jaxon, Camden and Hayes.
