Ryan Downard joined the Miami Dolphins as defensive backs/passing game coordinator in 2026.

Ryan Downard joined the Miami Dolphins as defensive backs/passing game coordinator in 2026.

The 2026 season marks his 14^th season coaching, including 11 seasons in the NFL and three at the collegiate level.

Downard spent the past eight seasons (2018-25) with the Green Bay Packers. He served as the defensive backs coach (2023-25) after being promoted to safeties coach for one season (2022). Prior to that, he spent three seasons as the assistant defensive backs coach (2019-21) and one season as a defensive quality control coach (2018).

During the 2025 season, Downard mentored safety Xaiver McKinney who recorded 102 tackles (51 solo), 1.0 sack, two interceptions, 10 passes defensed and one forced fumble. He was named second-team All-Pro for the second year in a row. He also coached cornerback Keisean Nixon to his first Pro Bowl selection. Nixon led the team with 17 passes defensed and recorded 72 tackles (58 solo), one interception and one fumble recovery.

In 2024, Downard was a part of a defensive staff that led the Packers to multiple top-10 NFL rankings, including:  fifth in total defense (314.5 yards per game), sixth in scoring defense (19.9 points per game), fifth in yards allowed per play (5.16), tied for eighth in total sacks (45.0), and fourth in takeaways (31). McKinney recorded a career-high eight interceptions in 2024, the second most in the NFL. He was the only defensive back in the league to record 3.0-plus sacks, three-plus forced fumbles and an interception earning him first-team All-Pro recognition.

In Downard's first season leading the defensive backs in 2023, he mentored rookie cornerback Carrington Valentine, who led the team with nine passes defended. He also worked with cornerback Corey Ballentine who posted career bests for tackles (39) and passes defensed (7). The defensive backs unit helped the Packers rank ninth in the league in passing defense (206.8 yards per game) and 10th in points allowed (20.6 points per game).

During the 2022 season, Downard led a safeties unit that helped Green Bay rank sixth in the NFL in passing defense (197.0 yards per game) and fourth in interceptions (17). Of those 17 picks, 16 came in Weeks 7-18, which ranked first in the league in that span.

In 2021, the Packers defense finished ninth in yards allowed per game (328.2), 10th in passing yards per game (219.1), fifth in passing yards per play (6.18), tied eighth in takeaways (26), sixth in interceptions (18) and eighth in interception rate (2.99 pct.). Douglas contributed significantly to those rankings by recording a career-high five interceptions for 105 return yards and two touchdowns. His five interceptions were the fifth most in the NFL while his 105 return yards ranked second overall.

In 2020, Downard coached Alexander, who earned his first Pro Bowl nod and second-team All-Pro nod. Alexander became just the third cornerback in franchise history to make the Pro Bowl within his first three seasons. Safety Darnell Savage also had a standout year, leading the team with four in interceptions, a career-high, and ranking second in the NFL with 12 passes defensed.

In 2019, Downard's first season assisting with the defensive backs, the Packers totaled 17 interceptions, which tied for the third most in the NFL. Five members of the secondary recorded multiple picks, including cornerback Kevin King who set career highs in interceptions (five), passes defensed (18) and total tackles (59).

In his first season with the Packers, Downard was a part of a defensive staff that led Green Bay to rank 12th in pass defense (234.5 yards per game) after finishing 23rd the year prior. He also helped the Packers tie for eighth in sacks (44.0) which was the most by the team since 2013.

Prior to his time in Green Bay, Downard spent two seasons (2016-17) at Bowling Green. He spent the 2016 season as the Chief of Staff and was the safeties coach in 2017.

His NFL coaching debut came with the Cleveland Browns where he spent two seasons (2014-15) as a defensive assistant. He worked primarily with the defensive line in 2014 and the defensive backs in 2015.

Downard began his coaching career at Toledo as a graduate assistant in the spring of 2013 before serving as a graduate assistant at Texas Tech for the 2013 season.

Downard played defensive back at Eastern Michigan University (2007-10) and served as a team captain his senior year. As a freshman, he appeared in 12 games and totaled 43 tackles (16 solo), seven passes defensed, six interceptions and one forced fumble. His six interceptions ranked second among all freshmen and 12th nationally, earning him Freshman All-America honorable mention.

A Lima, Ohio native, Downard and his wife, Julie, have four sons, Jaxon, Camden, Hayes and Easton.