John Garrett was named the offensive coordinator/quarterbacks/tight ends coach in February 2014. Garrett possesses a wealth of coaching experience and knowledge from the college and professional ranks.
Garrett arrived at Oregon State after spending the 2013 season as the wide receivers coach for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
From 2007-12 he was on the staff of the Dallas Cowboys, where his brother Jason Garrett is the head coach. While with the Cowboys he was the team’s tight ends coach, adding the responsibility of passing game coordinator in 2011-12. His duties included collaborating with the offensive coaching staff to formulate weekly passing and red zone game plans. While in Dallas he coached five-time Pro Bowl tight end Jason Witten and helped the team make the NFL playoffs three seasons.
Garrett returned to the NFL following three years (2004-06) at the University of Virginia. In 2006 he was the assistant head coach for offense and for the three seasons was the wide receivers coach. The Cavaliers played in the MPC Computers Bowl and the Music City Bowl while he was on staff.
For the 2001-03 seasons he assumed three different roles for the Cincinnati Bengals. In 2001, he was the offensive assistant coach and offensive line coach. He was the tight ends coach in 2002, and a college scout in 2003. He also spent 1995-98 with the Bengals as the wide receivers coach on a team that featured Pro Bowl wideout Carl Pickens.
In between stints with the Bengals, Garrett coached quarterbacks and was the quality control coach for the Arizona Cardinals for the 1999 and 2000 seasons. He began his professional coaching career in 1992 with the Buccaneers, where he would be through the 1994 season as the pro personnel assistant, college scout and coaches’ assistant.
He played professional football in both the NFL and World League as a wide receiver. In 1988 he was on the training camp roster for the Cowboys, in 1989 he played two games and was on the practice roster for the Bengals and in 1990 was in the team’s training camp. In 1991 he played wide receiver for head coach Mike Riley for the San Antonio Riders of the World League, catching 23 passes. In 1991 he was on the practice roster of the Buffalo Bills and in 1992 was in the Buccaneers training camp that would eventually lead to the start of his professional coaching career.
Garrett was a volunteer coach in 1990 at Princeton, where he graduated from in 1988 with bachelor degree in history. He was an Ivy League Second Team wide receiver while at Princeton and also played outfield on the baseball team. He began his collegiate career at Columbia University, where he played wide receiver and was a punt returner, in addition to playing junior varsity baseball.
Garrett’s father, Jim, spent 38 years in the NFL as a scout and assistant coach. His brother, Judd, is the current Director of Pro Scouting for the Cowboys. John and his wife, Honor, have four children (John, Jr., Honor, Olivia, and Caroline). John is actively involved in community service organizations such as Athletes-In-Action and the Train Up First (TUF) Foundation, an academic and life skills program for high school and college students.
GARRETT PROFILE
Assignment: Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks/Tight Ends
Recruiting Area: TBD
Year at OSU: 1st
Hometown: Monmouth Beach, New Jersey
Education: Bachelor’s in history from Princeton, 1988
Age: 48
Wife: Honor
Children: John, Jr; Honor, Olivia, and Caroline
