 Dews with the Tennessee Titans in 2021 | |
| New England Patriots | |
|---|---|
| Position: | Running backs coach |
| Personal information | |
| Born: | (1973-06-06)June 6, 1973 (age 51) Clifton, Virginia, U.S. |
| Career information | |
| High school: | Centreville (Fairfax County, Virginia) |
| College: | Liberty |
| Career history | |
As a coach: | |
| |
Tony Oshey Dews (born June 6, 1973) is anAmerican football coach who is the running backs coach for theNew England Patriots of theNational Football League (NFL). He has coached at nine different colleges and has coached every offensive and defensive position except quarterback. He played college football atLiberty University.
Tony Dews played college football as atight end forLiberty University under head coachSam Rutigliano. He played from 1992 to 1995, and was the team's leading receiver among tight ends his final two years. He graduated with abachelor's degree in 1996.[1]
Dews coached the offensive line atBainbridge High School inBainbridge, Georgia in 1997.
Dews coached the defensive line forMillersville University in 1998. He then became agraduate assistant forWest Virginia in 1999, engaging with the offensive line and defensive backs. Dews helped the team win theMusic City Bowl in 2000.[2] He then graduated with amaster's degree from West Virginia in 2001. Upon graduating, Dews coached the offensive line forCalifornia University of Pennsylvania in 2002 and defensive line atHoly Cross in 2003. He moved on toCentral Michigan and coached the tight ends and special teams from 2004 to 2005. He then became the linebackers and special teams coach forUNLV in 2006.[3] Dews returned to West Virginia in 2007 to coach wide receivers, helping them to win theFiesta Bowl.[2] From 2008 to 2010, Dews coached wide receivers and was the punt team coordinator forMichigan.[4] In 2011, he coached tight ends and was the recruiting coordinator forPitt. From 2012 to 2016, Dew was the wide receivers coach forArizona, helping them reach four bowl games and winning three.[1] In 2017, Dews once again returned to West Virginia, this time as the running backs coach. The team reached theHeart of Dallas Bowl, losing toUtah.[2]
On February 6, 2018, Dews was hired as the running backs coach for theTennessee Titans under head coachMike Vrabel.[5] In the 2018 season, running backDerrick Henry had career highs at the time for rushing yards (1,059), rushing touchdowns (12), and average yards per run (4.9). It was also Henry's first career 1,000 yard season.[6] In Week 13 of the 2019 season, Henry surpassed the 1,000 yard mark for the second consecutive season.[7] Henry finished the 2019 season with another career year,leading the NFL in rushing yards with 1,540 andtying for the most rushing touchdowns with 16.[8]
On January 26, 2024, Dews was hired by theNew York Jets as their running backs coach.[9]
On January 22, 2025, Dews was hired by theNew England Patriots to rejoin Vrabel as their running backs coach.[10]
Dews and his wife, Tamika, have four daughters, Savannah, Sierra, Sydney, and Sienna.[11]