Kris Kocurek (KO-SIR-ick) is in his first season as the 49ers defensive line coach. He joined San Francisco after spending the 2018 season as the defensive line coach with the Miami Dolphins.
With the Dolphins, Kocurek coached DE Robert Quinn and DE Cameron Wake who registered 6.5 and 6.0 sacks respectively. Quinn’s 6.5 sacks in his first season with Miami were his second-most in a single season since 2015.
Prior to Miami, Kocurek spent nine years with the Detroit Lions, first as the team’s assistant defensive line coach (2009), followed by eight seasons as defensive line coach (2010-17). In his first season leading the defensive line, Kocurek played a vital role in DT Ndamukong Suh’s Defensive Rookie of the Year award and helped develop him into a three-time AP First-Team All-Pro (2010 & 2013-14) and three-time Pro Bowl (2011 & 2013-14) selection. Suh’s 36.0 sacks as a member of the Lions are the most in franchise history among defensive tackles.
While Kocurek was the Lions defensive line coach from 2010-17, Detroit’s defensive linemen registered 250.0 sacks, which was the fourth-most by a defensive line in the NFL during that timespan. His defensive linemen also ranked fourth in forced fumbles (57) and ninth in passes defensed (82) over that eight-year period as well.
Under Kocurek’s tutelage in 2017, DE Ezekiel Ansah tied for eighth in the NFL with 12.0 sacks. During that same year, DE Anthony Zettel started all 16 games and finished with a career-high 6.5 sacks in his second NFL season while DT A’Shawn Robinson ranked eighth among NFL interior defensive linemen with 53 tackles and tied for the league lead with six passes defensed.
The 2016 Lions earned an NFC Wild Card berth as Kocurek helped develop undrafted free agent, DE Kerry Hyder, into the team leader with 8.0 sacks in 16 games played.
In 2015, Ansah set a career high with 14.5 sacks for the Lions. His sack total led the NFC and ranked third in the NFL, as Ansah earned his first Pro Bowl selection and AP Second-Team All-Pro honors. Ansah also forced four fumbles, which was tied for second in the NFL.
In 2014, Kocurek assisted a Lions defense that finished the season ranking first in the NFL in rushing yards allowed per game (69.3). Detroit’s 69.3 rushing yards allowed per game was the second-lowest in the NFL over the previous 10 seasons, trailing Pittsburgh’s 2010 defense (62.8). The Lions ranked eighth in the NFL with 42.0 sacks that season as Detroit earned an NFC Wild Card berth after an 11-5 finish.
Suh earned AP First-Team All-Pro honors and a Pro Bowl selection in 2013 after ranking second among NFL defensive tackles with six passes defensed to go along with 5.5 sacks. The Lions defense allowed 99.8 rushing yards per game, ranking sixth in the NFL. Ansah led all NFL rookies with a team-high 8.0 sacks.
In 2012, Suh was second among NFL interior defensive linemen with 8.0 sacks and earned AP Second-Team All-Pro honors and his second Pro Bowl selection, while DE Cliff Avril led the team with 9.5 sacks.
The 2011 Lions finished tied for 10th in the NFL with 41.0 sacks. Detroit went 10-6 and earned an NFC Wild Card spot. Suh again earned AP First-Team All-Pro honors as Avril led the team and tied for 11th in the NFL with 11.0 sacks. His sack total was the second-highest of Avril’s career in a single season.
Kocurek was promoted to defensive line coach in 2010, where he helped the Lions finish sixth in the NFL with 44.0 sacks, an improvement from 29th in the league (26.0 sacks) the year prior. He worked closely with Detroit’s first-round pick, Suh, who led the team and all NFL defensive tackles with 10.0 sacks that season, the most by an NFL rookie interior defensive lineman since 2003, when Minnesota’s Kevin Williams registered 10.5. Suh’s 10.0 sacks were the most by a Lions defensive tackle since Henry Thomas had 10.5 in 1995. Suh’s 66 tackles were fourth on the team and fifth among NFL defensive tackles. He became the first rookie defensive tackle to ever earn AP All-Pro honors and the first rookie defensive lineman to do so since Tennessee’s Jevon Kearse in 1999. He was also named AP Defensive Rookie of the Year, becoming the sixth defensive tackle to win the honor and first since Miami’s Tim Bowens in 1994.
Kocurek originally entered the NFL in 2009 as Detroit’s assistant defensive line coach. He helped DT Sammie Hill start as a rookie after being a fourth-round selection from Division II Stillman College. Hill finished the season with 26 tackles and two fumble recoveries in 13 games.
Prior to Detroit, Kocurek served as the defensive line coach at Stephen F. Austin State University (2008), assistant head coach/defensive line coach at West Texas A&M University (2007) and defensive line coach at Texas A&M University-Commerce (2006). At West Texas A&M in 2007, the Buffaloes won the Lone Star Conference and led the league in scoring defense (19.5 points per game). At Texas A&M University-Commerce in 2006, Kocurek helped the team’s defense lead the LSC in scoring and total yards allowed. He began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Texas A&M University-Kingsville (2004-05) and a graduate assistant at Texas Tech (2003).
A native of Rockdale, TX, Kocurek was originally drafted in the seventh-round (237th overall) of the 2001 NFL Draft by the Seattle Seahawks as a defensive lineman. Following his release from the Seahawks prior to the 2001 season, he was signed to the Tennessee Titans practice squad and was later promoted to the team’s active roster and appeared in one game with Tennessee in 2001 before spending the 2002 season on the Injured Reserve List. Kocurek played collegiately at Texas Tech, where he was a three-time All-Big 12 selection (1998-2000). He was selected team captain and named the team’s defensive player of the year as a senior in 2000. He earned his bachelor's degree from Texas Tech and his master's at Texas A&M University-Kingsville.
