Ray Hamilton

Biography

Ray "Sugar Bear" Hamilton was named the Falcons' defensive line coach on January 26, 2008.

Hamilton spent the last five seasons with the Jacksonville Jaguars as the defensive line coach under Smith. He guided the likes of defensive tackles Marcus Stroud and John Henderson who anchored a Jaguars defense that ranked second in the NFL in 2006 and fifth against the rush in the AFC last season. Stroud has started in three Pro Bowls while Henderson earned the honor in 2004 and 2006.

From 2001-2002, Hamilton was the defensive line coach for Cleveland as the Browns tied for fourth in the AFC with 43 sacks in his first season. Hamilton served his second stint with the New York Jets in 2000 after spending three seasons with the New England Patriots as the defensive line coach. In 1998, the Patriots defensive line tallied 25 of the team’s 36 sacks, which was the seventh-best total in the NFL.

He was the defensive line coach for the New York Jets (1995-1996) where he developed defensive end Hugh Douglas who earned 1995 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year Honors. From 1993-1994 he was the defensive line coach for the Los Angeles Raiders where he guided a defensive front that combined for 83 sacks in his two seasons. Hamilton spent one season at the University of Tennessee (1992) following a campaign with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 1991. He started his coaching career in the NFL in 1985 and spent five seasons with the New England Patriots as an assistant defensive line coach. He helped the Patriots to their first AFC Championship title and a Super Bowl XX appearance in his first season.

Hamilton also played in the NFL for nine seasons with the Patriots, where his teammates, fans and the media affectionately referred to him as "Sugar Bear."