Football - Raiders Hire Tom Rathman As RB Coach

Oakland Raiders hired Tom Rathman as their running backs coach. Raiders coach Lane Kiffin feels that Ratham’s accomplishment as a professional NFL player have long been recognized in the circle; but not many know that he is also an excellent coach. Kiffin said that he was extremely impressed with Ratham’s knowledge of the game and he cam across as very competitive person.

Rathman started his association with the NFL as a professional football player. He played as a running back for San Francisco 49ers and has been two time Super Bowl champion while playing with them. Incidentally, he finished his career as a running back for Raiders. After leaving professional football, he took up coaching and has been an assistant with the NFL for nine years with San Francisco and Detroit Lions. As a player for the niners, Ratham helped the 49ers win two Super Bowl titles back to back in 1988 and 1989. He was the leading running backs in NFL in 1989 with 73 catches for 616 yards. At the time Ratham was retiring as a player, he finished with 2,020 yards rushing, 320 receptions and 34 touchdowns.

In Rathman's final five seasons as an assistant with the 49ers, the team led the NFC in rushing and was second in the NFL. Ratham also spent three seasons as a coach in Detroit where he helped Kevin Jones run for 1,133 yards when he was a rookie in 2004. Unfortunately, last season Rathman did not coach in the NFL.

Besides hiring Ratham, the Oakland Raiders have also hired Taver Johnson as an assistant defensive line coach. Johnson was the defensive coordinator at Miami of Ohio.