Patriots in the Pros

PLAYERS

Matt O'Dwyer
New York Jets, 1995-98, Cincinnati Bengals, 1999-2003, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 2004, Green Bay Packers, 2005
O'Dwyer was the 33rd pick overall in the 1995 NFL draft (second round) by the New York Jets, and went on to play 10 seasons in the league. He played in 122 games during his career at the offensive guard position, starting 105. He played in all 16 games in five seasons, including four straight from 1996-99. He was a mainstay for a Jets team that went 1-15 in his rookie season, to 12-4 and AFC East champions two years later. At Northwestern University, O'Dwyer was a four-year letterman who earned first-team all-Big Ten honors at offensive guard in 2004.

Brad Cieslak
Buffalo Bills, 2005-07, Cleveland Browns, 2008
A standout quarterback at Stevenson, Cieslak was converted to tight end at Northern Illinois University. He played 12 games in four NFL seasons. In 2006, he played in seven games with Buffalo, catching six passes. At Northern Illinois University, Cieslak was one of the top pass-catching tight ends in school history. During his senior season in 2004, Cieslak caught 31 passes for 384 yards and three  touchdowns, and earned first-team all-Mid-American Conference honors as the Huskies went 9-3 and won the Silicon Valley Bowl.

Drew Mormino
Miami Dolphins, 2007
The second Stevenson graduate to be drafted by Bill Parcells (Matt O'Dwyer was the first), Mormino was taken in the sixth round (No. 199 overall) of the 2007 NFL draft by the Miami Dolphins. Unfortunately, he was injured before the start of his rookie season, and was released in 2008 after spending his first year on injured reserve. At Central Michigan University, Mormino (pictured at left) started 52 games at center from 2003-06. He earned second-team all-Mid American Conference honors in 2006, when the Chippewas won the MAC title and finished 10-4.

Brad Saar
Indianapolis Colts, 1987
The 1981 graduate played in one NFL game, playing linebacker for the Colts during the strike season of 1987. In college, he was an outstanding linebacker for Ball State University, leading the team in tackles in 1984 and 1985. Saar is one of the leading tacklers in Cardinals history, making 304 stops in two seasons. His 169 tackles in 1985 is the sixth-best in school history (109 were unassisted, the fourth highest total at Ball State). Saar was named the team MVP in 1985, and also was a second-team all-Mid American Conference selection.

COACHES

Rex Ryan
Head coach, New York Jets, 2009-; assistant coach/defensive coordinator, Baltimore Ravens, 1998-2009; linebackers/defensive line coach, Arizona Cardinals, 1994-95
Ryan, a 1981 Stevenson graduate, was named the head coach of the New York Jets on Jan. 19, 2009. He guided the Jets to the playoffs in his first season, reaching the AFC Championship Game against Indianapolis after earning a wild card berth. Prior to joining New York, Ryan spent 10 seasons with the Baltimore Ravens, the last four as defensive coordinator. During his 10 years in Baltimore, the Ravens defense was never worse than sixth in the NFL. Ryan was named 2006 NFL Assistant Coach of the Year by Pro Football Weekly and the Pro Football Writers Association. He also was an assistant on the Ravens squad that won Super Bowl XXXV in 2000. Ryan entered professional football as an assistant coach for his father, Buddy, who was head coach of the Arizona Cardinals. After leaving the Cardinals' staff in 1995, Ryan returned to the college coaching ranks. He spent two years as defensive coordinator at Cincinnati (1996-97), and had the nation's 13th-ranked defense in the second season. In 1998, Ryan moved to the University of Oklahoma as defensive coordinator, and guided the Sooners to sixth in defense nationally. Prior to entering pro football, Ryan had coaching stops at Morehead State (1990-93), New Mexico Highlands (1989) and Eastern Kentucky (1987-88). He played at Southwestern Oklahoma State.

Rob Ryan
Defensive coordinator, Dallas Cowboys, 2011-; Cleveland Browns, 2009-10; Oakland Raiders, 2004-08; linebackers coach, New England Patriots, 2000-03; defensive backs coach, Arizona Cardinals, 1994-95
Rex's twin brother has 13 seasons of NFL coaching experience, and earned two Super Bowl rings with the Patriots (Super Bowl XXXVI and XXXVIII) while tutoring the likes of Tedy Bruschi and Willie McGinest. In Oakland, Ryan had the No. 3 total defense in the NFL during the 2006 season. Ryan entered the NFL coaching ranks in the same year as his brother, serving as defensive backs coach on the league's third-ranked defense that season. After leaving Arizona, Rob Ryan spent a year as defensive coordinator at Hutchinson Community College in Kansas, then served in the same capacity for Oklahoma State from 1997-99. He was named Coordinator of the Year by The Sporting News in 1997. After finishing his playing days at Southwestern Oklahoma State, Ryan began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Western Kentucky in 1987 and at Ohio State in 1988. He then spent five seasons at Tennessee State (1989-93).

Ryan Slowik
Defensive quality control coach, Arizona Cardinals, 2009-; assistant coach, Denver Broncos, 2005-2008
Ryan Slowik, the son of longtime NFL assistant Bob Slowik, entered the pro coaching ranks after finishing his collegiate career at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh. In Denver, he spent two seasons working with the Broncos' defensive backs, served as a special teams assistant in 2007, then was assistant defensive backs coach in 2008. Slowik is a 1998 Stevenson graduate.