Cooter enters his third season as the team's offensive coordinator after previously serving three seasons (2009-2011) as an offensive assistant in Indianapolis. He has 18 years of coaching experience, including the last 16 seasons in the NFL.
Since 2023, Indianapolis has scored at least 20 points in 25 games, which ranks tied for eighth in the NFL.
For the second consecutive season, the Colts ranked in the top 10 in the NFL in rushing yards per game (137.1 – eighth) in 2024. Indianapolis tied for the seventh-fewest sacks allowed (32) and ranked sixth in games with no sacks allowed (four). Guard Quenton Nelson (seventh selection) and running back Jonathan Taylor (second selection) were each named to the Pro Bowl. Nelson was also an Associated Press Second Team All-Pro choice.
Taylor finished fourth in the league in rushing yards after registering 303 carries for
1,431 yards and 11 touchdowns. He also compiled 18 receptions for 136 yards and one touchdown. Wide receivers Josh Downs (72 receptions for 803 yards and five touchdowns), Michael Pittman Jr. (69 receptions for 808 yards and three touchdowns) and Alec Pierce (37 receptions for 824 yards and seven touchdowns) became the first trio in the NFL since 2021 to each record 800 receiving yards in a single season. It marked the first time the Colts had three players eclipse 800 receiving yards in a single season since 2004 (Marvin Harrison, Brandon Stokley and Reggie Wayne). Pierce led the NFL in average yards per reception (22.3), while registering career highs in receiving yards and receiving touchdowns.
Second-year quarterback Anthony Richardson started 11 games and completed 126-of-264 passes for 1,814 yards with eight touchdowns and 12 interceptions. He set franchise single-season records in rushing yards (499) and rushing touchdowns (six) by a quarterback. Richardson registered four games with a passing touchdown and a rushing touchdown, which tied for the third-most such games in 2024. He also tied for the third-most rushing touchdowns among quarterbacks. Veteran quarterback Joe Flacco saw action in eight games (six starts) and completed 162-of-248 passes for 1,761 yards with 12 touchdowns and seven interceptions.
In 2023, the Colts finished in the top 10 in points per game (23.3 – tied-10th) and rushing yards per game (121.1 – 10th). Center Ryan Kelly (fourth selection), quarterback Gardner Minshew II (first selection) and Nelson (sixth selection) were each named to the Pro Bowl.
Pittman Jr. tallied single-season career highs in receptions (109) and receiving yards (1,152) while also adding four touchdowns. He ranked fifth in the NFL in receptions. Pittman Jr. became one of four Colts players all-time to have at least 100 receptions and 1,000 receiving yards in a season (Dallas Clark, Harrison and Wayne).
Cooter worked with Richardson, whom the Colts selected in the first round (fourth overall) of the 2023 NFL Draft. Richardson started all four games he saw action in and completed 50-of-84 passes for 577 yards with three touchdowns and one interception for an 87.3 passer rating. He also added 25 carries for 136 yards and four touchdowns.
After losing Richardson to a season-ending injury in Week 5, Minshew II took over the starting role. Minshew II completed 305-of-490 passes for a single-season career-high 3,305 yards with 15 touchdowns and nine interceptions for an 84.6 passer rating. He also registered 34 carries for 100 yards and three touchdowns.
Cooter served as passing game coordinator with the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2022. The Jaguars offense finished in the top 10 in yards per game (357.4 – 10th), passing yards per game (232.9 – 10th), fewest sacks allowed (28 – fifth), first downs per game (20.7 – tied-seventh), third down percentage (41.86 – ninth) and points per game (23.8 – 10th).
He worked with Trevor Lawrence, who completed 387-of-584 passes for 4,113 yards with 25 touchdowns and eight interceptions for a 95.2 passer rating. Lawrence also compiled five rushing touchdowns en route to being named to his first career Pro Bowl. He ranked in the top 10 in completions (seventh), passing yards (ninth), passing touchdowns (tied-eighth), lowest interception percentage (1.4 – sixth) and passer rating (10th).
The Jaguars offense registered a 1,000-yard receiver and 1,000-yard rusher. Wide receiver Christian Kirk tallied 84 receptions for 1,108 yards and eight touchdowns, while running back Travis Etienne Jr. totaled 220 carries for 1,125 yards and five touchdowns. Jacksonville also received significant contributions in the receiving game from wide receiver Zay Jones (82 receptions for 823 yards and five touchdowns) and tight end Evan Engram (73 receptions for 766 yards and four touchdowns). Among tight ends, Engram ranked in the top five in receptions (tied-third) and receiving yards (fourth).
Prior to Jacksonville, Cooter was a coaching consultant with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2021. He worked with Colts Head Coach Shane Steichen, who was the Eagles' offensive coordinator at the time, and worked on special projects for the coaching staff.
Cooter was the running backs coach for the New York Jets for two seasons (2019-20), where he worked with former Colts running back Frank Gore. In 2020, Gore compiled 187 carries for 653 yards and two touchdowns. Rookie La'Mical Perine finished with 64 carries for 232 yards and two touchdowns. In 2019, Cooter worked with Le'Veon Bell, who totaled 1,250 yards from scrimmage to become one of six Jets rushers with a 1,200-plus scrimmage yards in a single season in the previous 20 years. Bell also was one of just 10 NFL running backs with 600-plus rushing yards and 400-plus receiving yards in 2019. He caught 66 passes and was one of just seven running backs with 65-plus catches in 2019.
Prior to New York, Cooter spent five seasons with the Detroit Lions as offensive coordinator (2015-18) and quarterbacks coach (2014-15). He was promoted to offensive coordinator in Week 8 of the 2015 season.
From 2014-18, Cooter worked with quarterback Matthew Stafford, who ranked in the top 10 in completion percentage (64.9 – ninth), passing yards (21,069 – sixth), passing touchdowns (128 – ninth) and passing plays of 25+ yards (151 – tied-ninth). Stafford registered four consecutive 4,000-yard passing seasons (2014-17). He earned his first career Pro Bowl selection in 2014.
During his time as offensive coordinator, Cooter's running backs ranked in the top four in the NFL in both receptions and receiving yards. Running back Theo Riddick's 211 receptions under Cooter were the second-most in the league during that span. Cooter helped three different backs produce 25-catch seasons, including four by Riddick from 2015-18.
The Lions registered a 1,000-yard receiver in each of Cooter's five seasons with the team. From 2014-18, wide receiver Golden Tate registered 446 receptions, which were the seventh-most over that time frame. In 2017, Tate (92 receptions for 1,003 yards and five touchdowns) and fellow wide receiver Marvin Jones Jr. (61 receptions for a career-high 1,101 yards and nine touchdowns) helped Detroit become one of just three teams to have multiple 1,000-yard receivers that season.
The Lions offense produced eight fourth-quarter game-winning drives in 2016, with five different players catching at least 50 passes (became only the fifth team in league history to do so).
In 2015, Detroit ranked in the top 10 in passing yards per game (263.3 – ninth), first downs per game (21.1 – eighth), red zone percentage (69.39 – first) and goal to go percentage (82.76 – second). In the final season of his Pro Football Hall of Fame career, wide receiver Calvin Johnson compiled 88 receptions for 1,214 yards and nine touchdowns en route to Pro Bowl honors.
The Lions were one of just five teams to have multiple 1,000-yard receivers in 2014. Tate finished the season with career highs in receptions (99) and receiving yards (1,331) in addition to four touchdowns, while Johnson compiled 71 receptions for 1,077 yards and eight touchdowns. Tate and Johnson were both named to the Pro Bowl.
In 2013, Cooter served as an offensive assistant with the Denver Broncos. The Broncos finished in the top five in yards per game (457.3 – first), passing yards per game (340.3 – first), fewest sacks allowed (20 – first), first downs per game (27.2 – first), third down percentage (46.34 – second), fourth down percentage (88.89 – first), red zone percentage (76.12 – first), goal to go percentage (78.72 – fourth), total touchdowns (76 – first) and points per game (37.9 – first). The Broncos also set an NFL single-season record with 606 points scored as the team earned its third-straight AFC West title and appeared in Super Bowl XLVIII.
In Denver, Cooter worked with quarterback Peyton Manning, whom he spent three seasons with in Indianapolis. Manning was named the league's MVP after he completed 450-of-659 passes for 5,477 yards with 55 touchdowns and 10 interceptions for a 115.1 passer rating. Manning set the NFL single-season record for passing yards and touchdown passes. The Broncos finished with two 1,000-yard receivers (Demaryius Thomas – 1,430 and Eric Decker – 1,288) and one 1,000-yard rusher (Knowshon Moreno – 1,038). Denver had five players register 10+ offensive touchdowns.
In 2012, Cooter served as an offensive quality control coach with the Kansas City Chiefs. The Chiefs boasted the league's fifth-ranked rushing offense in the league (149.7 yards per game). Running back Jamaal Charles compiled 1,745 yards from scrimmage, including a career-high 1,509 rushing yards, and six total touchdowns. Charles finished fourth in the NFL in rushing yards and fifth in scrimmage yards en route to Pro Bowl honors.
Cooter began his NFL coaching career in Indianapolis as an offensive assistant from 2009-2011. He helped the team win back-to-back AFC South titles (2009 and 2010) and earned a Super Bowl XLIV appearance. The Colts ranked in the top 10 in yards per game and points per game in 2009 and 2010.
A former quarterback (2002-06) at the University of Tennessee, Cooter began his coaching career at his alma mater as a graduate assistant from 2007-08. He earned a bachelor's degree in education (sport management) and a master's degree in sport psychology from Tennessee.
2007-2008 | Tennessee | Graduate Assistant
2009 | Indianapolis Colts | Staff Assistant
2010 | Indianapolis Colts | Offensive Assistant
2011 | Indianapolis Colts | Assistant to the Offensive Coordinator
2012 | Kansas City Chiefs | Offensive Quality Control
2013 | Denver Broncos | Offensive Assistant
2014-2015 | Detroit Lions | Quarterbacks
2015-2018 | Detroit Lions | Offensive Coordinator
2019-2020 | New York Jets | Running Backs
2021 | Philadelphia Eagles | Consultant
2022 | Jacksonville Jaguars | Passing Game Coordinator
2023-2025 | Indianapolis Colts | Offensive Coordinator
