Entering his 10th season in the NFL, Ryan Downard begins his eighth season with the Packers and his third as the team's defensive backs coach after spending one season (2022) as safeties coach and three seasons (2019-21) as assistant defensive backs coach.
Promoted to his current position on March 10, 2023, by Head Coach Matt LaFleur, Downard (DOWN-erd) originally joined the club on Jan. 24, 2018, as a defensive quality control coach. His first NFL experience came in 2014-15 when he served as a defensive assistant with the Cleveland Browns. Downard was a part of defensive staffs that helped guide the Packers to four straight top-10 league rankings in passing defense from 2020- 23, the lone NFL team to do so over that span and Green Bay's first time doing so since 1974-77.
In 2024, Downard was part of a staff that helped guide the Packers to top-10 NFL rankings in total defense (No. 5, 314.5 ypg), run defense (No. 7, 99.4 ypg), scoring defense (No. 6, 19.9 ppg), yards allowed per play (No. 5, 5.16), takeaways (No. 4, 31) and sacks (t-No. 8, 45), the first time since 1996 that Green Bay finished in the top 10 in the league in all six categories. The 31 takeaways were 13 more than the Packers posted in 2023, the biggest improvement in the NFL in 2024 and the top one-year increase by Green Bay since 1998-99 (23 in 1998/41 in 1999).
S Xavier McKinney ranked No. 2 in the NFL last season with a career-high eight INTs, the most by a Packer in a season since CB Charles Woodson posted nine in 2009, and became the first Green Bay safety to earn first-team All-Pro recognition from The Associated Press since Darren Sharper in 2000. CB Keisean Nixon, who registered career highs for sacks (three) and forced fumbles (team-high three), was the only DB in the league in 2024 with three-plus sacks, three-plus forced fumbles and an INT and was the first Green Bay DB to do so since 2000.
In his first season leading the defensive backs in 2023, Downard tutored rookie CB Carrington Valentine, who started 12 games and led the team with nine passes defensed. With two-time All-Pro CB Jaire Alexander limited to just seven games due to injuries and veteran CB Rasul Douglas traded to Buffalo on Oct. 31, Downard also worked with veteran CB Corey Ballentine, who started a career-high six games and posted career bests for tackles (39) and passes defensed (seven). The DBs helped the Packers rank No. 9 in the NFL in passing defense (206.8 ypg) and No. 10 in points allowed (20.6 ppg).
The 2022 season saw Downard lead a safety group that helped Green Bay finish No. 6 in the league in passing defense (197.0 ypg), the fewest yards allowed by the Packers since 2010 (194.2 ypg). Green Bay was tied for No. 4 in the NFL with 17 INTs, with 16 of them coming in Weeks 7-18 (No. 1 in the NFL). Downard was part of a staff in 2021 that helped the Packers finish in the top 10 in the NFL in total defense (328.2 ypg, No. 9), passing defense (219.1 ypg, No. 10), takeaways (26, t-No. 8) and INTs (18, t-No. 6). Downard also helped guide Douglas to a career year in 2021 as he returned two INTs for TDs, tied for No. 4 in a season in team history. Douglas tied for the league lead with five INTs and led the NFL with 105 yards on INT returns in Weeks 8-17.
The 2020 season saw the Packers' young and talented secondary take another step forward with the assistance of Downard. Alexander earned second-team AP All-Pro honors, becoming the first Green Bay CB to earn All-Pro honors since 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 within his first three seasons (Herb Adderley, 1963, third season; Willie Buchanon, 1973, second season). S Darnell Savage also excelled in 2020, leading the team in INTs (career-high four, t-No. 3 among NFL safeties) and ranking No. 2 in passes defensed (career-best 12, No. 2 among NFL safeties).
In Downard's first season working with the DBs in 2019, the Packers were tied for No. 3 in the NFL with 17 INTs. Five members of Green Bay's secondary recorded multiple INTs in 2019, with CB Kevin King posting career highs in INTs (five, tied for No. 4 in the 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 assisted in the development of Alexander, who was named a Pro Bowl alternate and led the team with a career- high 23 passes defensed, and Savage, who was selected to the PFWA All-Rookie team.
In his first season with the Packers in 2018, Downard was part of a staff that helped Green Bay rank tied for No. 8 in the league in sacks (44), the most by the Packers since 2013 (44), and No. 12 in pass defense (234.5 ypg) after finishing 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 INTs 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 ranked No. 8 in the Mid-American Conference with a team-high 95 total tackles.
Downard spent the 2014-15 seasons as a defensive assistant with the Browns, working with 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.
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, Wis., with their four sons, Jaxon, Camden, Hayes and Easton.
