 Line with the Minnesota Vikings in2015 | |||||||||||||||
| Denver Broncos | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position: | Special teams quality control coach | ||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||
| Born: | (1990-04-26)April 26, 1990 (age 34) Oxford, Michigan, U.S. | ||||||||||||||
| Height: | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) | ||||||||||||||
| Weight: | 233 lb (106 kg) | ||||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||||
| High school: | Oxford (Oxford, Michigan) | ||||||||||||||
| College: | SMU (2009–2012) | ||||||||||||||
| Undrafted: | 2013 | ||||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||||
As a player: | |||||||||||||||
As a coach: | |||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||
| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||||||
| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||
| Head coaching record | |||||||||||||||
| Career: | 14–17 (.452) | ||||||||||||||
Zach Line (born April 26, 1990) is an American professionalfootball coach and formerfullback who is the special teams quality control coach for theDenver Broncos of theNational Football League (NFL).
During his seven-year professional career, Line played for theMinnesota Vikings andNew Orleans Saints. He was signed by the Vikings as anundrafted free agent in 2013. He playedcollege football atSouthern Methodist University.
Line attendedOxford High School inOxford, Michigan.[1] As a senior, he had a team-high 154tackles with eightforced fumbles and four recoveries from theinside linebacker spot; on offense, he rushed for 1,723 yards with 17touchdowns while also throwing for three more scores.[2] For his season efforts, he was named a first Team All-State pick.
Regarded as a two-star recruit byRivals.com, Line committed toSMU on January 29, 2008.[3] He also received a scholarship offer fromRobert Morris University.[4] Line has two brothers, Prescott and Ben, that played atMichigan State University and Robert Morris University, respectively.[5][6][7]
Line attended and played college football at SMU from 2009 to 2012.[8] In the 2009 season, he finished with 49 carries for 189 rushing yards and seven rushing touchdowns.[9] In the 2010 season, he finished with 244 carries for 1,494 rushing yards and ten rushing touchdowns.[10] In the 2011 season, he finished with 208 carries for 1,224 rushing yards and 17 rushing touchdowns.[11] In the 2012 season, his final collegiate season, he finished with 277 carries for 1,278 rushing yards and 13 rushing touchdowns.[12]
| Year | School | Conf | Class | Pos | G | Rushing | Receiving | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Att | Yds | Avg | TD | Rec | Yds | Avg | TD | ||||||
| 2009 | SMU | CUSA | FR | RB | 13 | 49 | 189 | 3.9 | 7 | 10 | 68 | 6.8 | 0 |
| 2010 | SMU | CUSA | SO | RB | 14 | 244 | 1,494 | 6.1 | 10 | 17 | 163 | 9.6 | 0 |
| 2011 | SMU | CUSA | JR | RB | 10 | 208 | 1,224 | 5.9 | 17 | 15 | 139 | 9.3 | 0 |
| 2012 | SMU | CUSA | SR | RB | 13 | 277 | 1,278 | 4.6 | 13 | 33 | 229 | 6.9 | 0 |
| Career | SMU | 50 | 778 | 4,185 | 5.4 | 47 | 75 | 599 | 8.0 | 0 | |||
| Height | Weight | Arm length | Hand span | 40-yard dash | 10-yard split | 20-yard split | 20-yard shuttle | Three-cone drill | Vertical jump | Broad jump | Bench press | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 ft0+1⁄2 in (1.84 m) | 232 lb (105 kg) | 30+3⁄4 in (0.78 m) | 8+3⁄4 in (0.22 m) | 4.65 s | 1.60 s | 2.68 s | 4.40 s | 7.12 s | 33 in (0.84 m) | 9 ft 9 in (2.97 m) | 26 reps | |
| All values fromNFL Combine andPro Day[13] | ||||||||||||
On April 27, 2013, Line signed with theMinnesota Vikings as anundrafted free agent following the2013 NFL draft.[14] In the Vikings' first preseason game against theHouston Texans, he scored on a 61-yard touchdown pass from quarterbackMatt Cassel.[15] In the season opener against theDetroit Lions, he had one reception for eight yards in his NFL debut.[16] He appeared in two other games in the 2013 season.[17] Line was released by the team on September 14, 2014, re-signed to the practice squad shortly after, then was promoted to the active roster on October 3. On September 20, 2015, Line scored the first touchdown of his career against theDetroit Lions.[18] The next week, against theSan Diego Chargers, Line scored another touchdown, the second of his career.[19] Line also caught a pass from quarterbackTeddy Bridgewater and took it 49 yards to set up a score in Minnesota's 28–19 victory over the Detroit Lions in Week 7.[20] Overall, in the 2015 season, he finished with six carries for ten rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns to go along with six receptions for 95 receiving yards and one receiving touchdown.[21] In the 2016 season, he finished with seven carries for 15 rushing yards in 15 games.[22]
On August 24, 2017, Line signed with theNew Orleans Saints.[23] He was released on September 2, 2017.[24] He was re-signed on October 3, 2017.[25] In 12 games, he finished with seven carries for 28 rushing yards to go along with two receptions for eight yards and a receiving touchdown.[26] The Saints made the playoffs and faced off against theCarolina Panthers in theWild Card Round. In the 31–26 victory, he had a one-yard rushing touchdown.[27] Line and the Saints' season ended in the Divisional Round in a29–24 loss to theMinnesota Vikings.[28]
On April 5, 2018, Line re-signed with the Saints on a two-year contract.[29] In Week 3 against theAtlanta Falcons, Line scored his first touchdown on the season.[30] He finished the 2018 season with nine carries for 41 rushing yards to go along with five receptions for 14 receiving yards and two receiving touchdowns.[31]
In the 2019 season, Line appeared in 12 games and recorded seven carries for 20 rushing yards to go along with six receptions for 36 receiving yards.[32]
On January 15, 2020, Line announced his retirement from the NFL via Instagram after seven seasons at the age of 29.[33]
Line finished his career with 36 rushing attempts for 114 yards and two touchdowns and caught 20 receptions for 161 yards and four touchdowns. Line returned five kickoffs for 59 yards and recorded seven special teams tackles over the span of his career playing onspecial teams.[34]
In 2021, Line began working at his alma mater,Oxford High School, as head coach.[35][36]
On March 6, 2025, Line was hired as the special teams quality control coach for theDenver Broncos, reuniting with former Saints head coachSean Payton.[37]
| Year | Team | Overall | Conference | Standing | Bowl/playoffs | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oxford Wildcats(Oakland Activities Association)(2021–2024) | |||||||||
| 2021 | Oxford | 6–5 | 3–2 | 3rd(Red) | |||||
| 2022 | Oxford | 1–8 | 0–5 | 6th(Red) | |||||
| 2023 | Oxford | 4–6 | 1–4 | 5th(Red) | |||||
| 2024 | Oxford | 7–4 | 3–1 | 1st(Red) | |||||
| Oxford: | 14–17 | 6–8 | |||||||
| Total: | 14–17 | ||||||||
| National championship Conference title Conference division title or championship game berth | |||||||||
