Syracuse hires former Temple and New York Jets star Muhammad Wilkerson for its staff
Wilkerson played defensive end at Temple from 2008 to 2010. He joined Fran Brown’s staff as the director of player development and will assist on the defensive line.
Muhammad Wilkerson is the latest hire at Syracuse with Temple football ties. The former defensive end will join Camden native Fran Brown’s staff as the director of player development, with a focus on the defensive line.
After taking over as head coach in November 2023, Brown named Jeff Nixon the offensive coordinator and Elijah Robinson the defensive coordinator. Nixon was Temple’s running backs and wide receivers coach in 2006, while Robinson was the Owls defensive line coach from 2014 to 2016. Brown also was on Temple’s staff during Robinson’s tenure as the defensive backs coach.
But unlike the others, Wilkerson wasn’t a coach at Temple. Wilkerson played defensive end for Owls from 2008 to 2010. He started all 13 games his sophomore year and had 61 tackles and 6½ sacks, the second-most on the team. As a junior, the Linden, N.J., native led the team with 9½ sacks and was named first-team all-Mid-America Conference.
Wilkerson was drafted 30th overall in 2011 by the New York Jets. He played seven years with the team, earned a Pro Bowl nod in 2015, and twice was a second-team All-Pro. Wilkerson was then rewarded with a five-year, $86 million contract extension the following offseason, but was cut in February 2018, in what the organization described as “a business decision.” Wilkerson is ninth all-time in sacks for the Jets, with 44½.
Wilkerson quickly found a landing spot in Green Bay, but suffered a season-ending ankle injury in his third game. The injury also marked the end of his playing career.
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The Syracuse coaching job is Wilkerson’s first in college football.
Syracuse will open its season against Tennessee on Aug. 30 in Atlanta.