SUNY Cortland Athletics

A former Academic All-America offensive lineman at Cortland, Paul Alexander is in his 18th season as the offensive line coach for the NFL’s Cincinnati Bengals in 2012. He is also the team’s assistant head coach, having added that designation in 2003, and has coached 19 seasons overall with the Bengals.

Last year in Cincinnati, Alexander’s line led a pass protection effort that tied for fourth in the NFL in fewest sacks allowed. The Bengals also ranked in the league’s top 10 in pass protection in 2010.

In 1992, Alexander began his NFL coaching career as tight ends coach of the New York Jets under head coach Bruce Coslet. When Coslet moved to Cincinnati as offensive coordinator in 1994, Alexander joined him in the role of tight ends coach. Alexander is a product of distinguished teachers. He coached under Joe Paterno at Penn State University from 1982-84 and Bo Schembechler at the University of Michigan from 1985-86. He became the offensive line coach at Central Michigan University from 1987-91 before receiving his opportunity to coach with the Jets.

The Spencerport, N.Y., native earned a bachelor’s degree in physical education, with a minor in music, from Cortland in 1982. He played offensive tackle for the Red Dragons for three seasons from 1979-81 and received Red Letter Awards each season. Following his senior season he became the College’s first-ever College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) national Academic All-America selection.

Alexander is actively involved with the Boy Scouts of America and the Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE) program, and he co-founded the first high school football camp exclusively for linemen. He is also an accomplished pianist and in 2011 authored a well-received book – Perform – linking the mentality and training techniques of top athletes and musicians. Alexander performed at a fundraising concert at the University of Cincinnati Conservatory of Music in 2010 having started private piano lessons only two years earlier.