Bill Lazor joins the Houston Texans as a senior offensive assistant in 2023. Lazor owns 15 years of NFL experience, primarily coaching quarterbacks. He has served as an NFL offensive coordinator with the Miami Dolphins (2014-15), Cincinnati Bengals (2017-18) and Chicago Bears (2020-21).
During his time as the Bears offensive coordinator in 2021, Lazor oversaw QB Justin Fields' first season in the NFL, where he made 10 starts during his rookie season. WR Darnell Mooney played a major role in the Bears offense, finishing the season with a team-high 1,055 receiving yards and four touchdowns. Mooney set the Bears' franchise record for the most catches by a receiver in their first two seasons (142). Lazor also guided second-year TE Cole Kmet to 60 receptions and 612 receiving yards, both of which are still career-highs. The run game also featured RB David Montgomery, who tallied 1,000-plus scrimmage yards for the second consecutive season, finishing with 849 rushing yards and 301 receiving yards.
In 2020, his first year in Chicago, Lazor took over play-calling duties during the second-half of the season and helped Chicago's offense find its rhythm, helping lead the team to a Wild Card playoff berth. Over the final six games of the regular season, the Bears averaged 30.2 points per game, including a four-game stretch with 30-plus points for the first time since 1965. Montgomery tied for fifth in the NFL and ranked third in the NFC with 1,070 rushing yards and eight touchdowns, while QB Mitchell Trubisky had a strong finish to the season, completing 73.9 percent of his passes for 1,253 yards, seven touchdowns and three interceptions with a combined rating of 101.9.
Prior to Chicago, Lazor served as the offensive coordinator for the Cincinnati Bengals from 2017-18 and as the quarterbacks coach in 2016. The 2018 Bengals offense finished third in the NFL in red zone scoring at 71.1 percent, while RB Joe Mixon and WR Tyler Boyd each produced seasons with 1,000-yards. In 2017, Lazor took over play calling duties after Week 2 and guided WR A.J. Green to a 1,000-yard season en route to his seventh Pro Bowl appearance. In 2016, QB Andy Dalton passed for 4,206 yards, the second-most in franchise history, and his eight interceptions were the fewest in Bengals history. Dalton finished the season with a trip to his third Pro Bowl.
Lazor spent two seasons as the offensive coordinator with the Miami Dolphins from 2014-15, assisting in the development of QB Ryan Tannehill, who passed for 4,045 yards. Tannehill's 27 passing touchdowns were the most by a Dolphins quarterback since Dan Marino had 30 in 1994. The Dolphins averaged 24.3 points per game and 350.1 yards per game, which was the franchise's most in both categories since 1995. In 2015, Lazor contributed to the breakout season of second-year WR Jarvis Landry, who finished fourth in the NFL with 110 catches.
Lazor spent one season as the Philadelphia Eagles quarterbacks coach in 2013, working under Chip Kelly and developing QB Nick Foles, who emerged to win the NFL passing title (119.2 rating). Foles passed for 27 touchdowns and led the NFL in yards per pass attempt (9.1) and touchdown percentage (8.5).
Prior to his season with the Eagles, Lazor had a three-year stretch serving as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at the University of Virginia from 2010-12. Under his direction, the Cavaliers offense had a historic turnaround, finishing third in the ACC in total offense in 2010 after ranking last in 2009. The offense continued to improve the following year in 2011, averaging 399.8 yards per game while leading Virginia to their first bowl appearance in four years.
Lazor's spent one season with the Atlanta Falcons in 2003 as an offensive quality control coach and then became an offensive assistant (2004-05) under Hall of Fame coach Joe Gibbs. He was later promoted to quarterbacks coach (2006-07) with Washington. The Seattle Seahawks then hired Lazor as their quarterbacks coach from 2008-09 where he worked under Super Bowl winning coach Mike Holmgren.
A Scranton, Pa., native, Lazor was a three-year starting quarterback at Cornell University. He was an All-Ivy League selection, a team captain and was named the team's Most Valuable Player as a senior in 1993. Lazor spent seven seasons as an assistant coach at Cornell from 1994-2000 before serving as the offensive coordinator at the University of Buffalo from 2001-02.
Bill and his wife Nicole have a son, Nolan, and two daughters, Marin and Charlotte.
Pro Bowl Players Coached (5): WR AJ Green (2017), QB Andy Dalton (2016), WR Jarvis Landry (2015), C Mike Pouncey (2014), QB Nick Foles (2013)
All-Pros Players Coached (2): WR Allen Robinson (2020), OL Jon Jansen (2007)
