Entering his 33rd year in coaching, Ray Sherman enters his second year with the Titans since rejoining the franchise in 2004. Sherman broke into the NFL as a coach with the then-Houston Oilers on Jerry Glanville’s staff in 1988 (running backs) and ’89 (wide receivers).

Last year, Sherman directed the transition of the receiving corps with three rookie draft picks (Brandon Jones, Roydell Williams, Courtney Roby) and Drew Bennett graduating into the leading receiver role. The three rookie wide receivers along with rookie TE Bo Scaife became the first quartet of rookie receivers to each collect at least 20 receptions since the 1968 Buffalo Bills (Haven Moses, Richard Trapp, Max Anderson, Gary McDermott). Each of the three rookie wide receivers were called upon at some point in the season to start. Added to this group of young wide outs this year is free agent WR David Givens, who won two Super Bowl titles in New England and is the Patriots post-season all-time leader in touchdown receptions.

Prior to joining the Titans, Sherman spent the five previous seasons as wide receivers coach for the Green Bay Packers. During his time in Green Bay, he helped develop a young corps of players – Javon Walker, Donald Driver and Robert Ferguson – into elite receivers. Walker and Driver each earned Pro Bowl invitations over the last three seasons (Walker, 2004; Driver, 2002). In 2004, Walker and Driver ranked second in the NFL for yards by a wide receiver combination with 2,590, and in 2002, the Packers led the NFL with 29 touchdown receptions. Walker placed third in the NFL in 2004 with 1,382 yards and added 12 touchdowns in his third NFL season.

Sherman has worked with a total of seven NFL teams, coaching wide receivers, running backs and quarterbacks, in addition to serving as offensive coordinator for three teams. In 17 NFL seasons, he has been involved in offenses that finished in the NFL top 10 in both points and total yardage 11 times.

Before joining the Packers, Sherman was the offensive coordinator for the Minnesota Vikings in 1999 and the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1998. The Vikings offense ranked third in the league in total offense and boasted the fifth-best passing attack. At Pittsburgh, the Steelers featured a running game under Sherman, which ranked seventh in the league. Sherman spent an additional three years (1995-97) with the Vikings as the quarterback coach. Minnesota quarterback Warren Moon led the NFL in completions (377) and matched a career high in touchdowns (33). In 1996 and ’97, Sherman oversaw the development of Brad Johnson into a complete starter as he ranked in the top five in the league in each season for passer rating. His first stint as an offensive coordinator came with the New York Jets in 1994 for Pete Carroll’s only season as the Jets head coach.

Between 1991 and 1993, Sherman coached for the San Francisco 49ers, first as running backs coach (1991) and then wide receivers (1992-93). Rice posted one of the finest seasons of his career in 1993, recording 1,503 yards and 15 touchdowns on his way to earning AP Offensive Player of the Year honors. Sherman spent one season (1990) in Atlanta as the Falcons’ Assistant Head Coach/Offense on Jerry Glanville’s staff after both came over from the Oilers. He helped install the ‘run-n-shoot’ offense for the Falcons, finishing 10th in the league in scoring and total offense after placing in the bottom third the previous season. Sherman accumulated 14 years of experience at the collegiate level before joining the pro ranks in 1988.

After finishing his playing days as a wide receiver and defensive back at Fresno State, he began his college coaching career as a graduate assistant at San Jose State in 1974 and included stops at California (1975, 1981), Michigan State (1976-77), Wake Forest (1978-80), Purdue (1982-85) and Georgia (1986-87).

Born in Berkeley, Calif. (11/27/51), Sherman and his wife Yvette live in Nashville with their two children, Erica (15) and Alana (8). Ray and Yvette’s first child, Ray II, passed away in 2003.