Napier Adds Vinnie Sunseri to Florida Coaching Staff

A two-time national champion, Sunseri will serve as co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach.

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – University of Florida head football coach Billy Napier named Vinnie Sunseri as co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach on Thursday.

Sunseri, a two-time national champion with Alabama as a safety in 2011 and 2012, served as the safeties coach at Washington during the 2024 season after spending the previous four years on the coaching staff of the New England Patriots.

“Vinnie Sunseri has a great pedigree coming from a football family and has also played and coached for exceptional coaches throughout his career,” Napier remarked. “He is a two-time national champion with NFL and collegiate experience. Vinnie will help our organization improve as we continue to build. I’m excited to welcome he and his wife, Kaci, to Gainesville.”

“I’m incredibly excited to join Coach Napier, his outstanding staff and the University of Florida,” Sunseri said. “Coaching in a premier conference like the SEC has been a lifelong dream. I’m ready to work with young, talented and motivated players and help them achieve success on and off the field.”

In 2024 at Washington, Sunseri helped the Huskies to an appearance in the Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl. The team was fifth nationally in passing yards allowed per game at 166.8 and were eighth in pass efficiency defense at 110.51.

Prior to Washington, Sunseri spent four seasons on staff with the New England Patriots starting as a defensive assistant in 2020 before coaching the running backs for the next three seasons.

In 2022, Rhamondre Stevenson became the first Patriot to rush for 1,000 yards in a season in six years. Stevenson also caught 69 passes, fourth in the league that year by a running back, and fourth-most in club history.

In 2021, Sunseri helped guide Damien Harris to career highs in rushing yards (929) and touchdowns (15), the latter of which tied for second in the NFL.

He started his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Alabama in 2019 when Kelly was on staff as the assistant defensive coordinator and safeties coach.

After paying three season at Alabama (2011-13), Sunseri was selected by the New Orleans Saints in the fifth round of the 2014 NFL Draft. After two seasons with the Saints, he spent the first portion of the 2016 season with the Patriots before signing with the 49ers.

Sunseri began his coaching career at his alma mater, Alabama, as a graduate assistant, working with fellow GA and brother, Tino, and alongside his father, who was the Crimson Tide linebackers coach. Before the 2020 season, Sunseri took a job with the Patriots.

Sunseri is the son of Sal Sunseri, who served as Florida’s defensive line coach in 2018 and was a long-time college and NFL football coach and consensus All-America linebacker at Pitt in 1981.

Sunseri and his wife, Kaci, were married in 2022.

Coaching Experience

2024: Washington (Safeties)

2021-23: New England Patriots (Running Backs)

2020: New England Patriots (Defensive Assistant)

2019: Alabama (Graduate Assistant)

NFL Players Coached by Sunseri

Xavier McKinney (DB): New York Giants – 2020 NFL Draft, 2nd Round

Jared Mayden (DB): San Francisco 49ers – 2020 UDFA

Shyheim Carter (DB): New York Jets – 2020 UDFA

Playing Experience

Alabama (2011-13)