Coaches | Houston Texans - HoustonTexans.com

Dino Vasso enters his second season as the cornerbacks coach for the Houston Texans in 2022.

Dino Vasso enters his second season as the cornerbacks coach for the Houston Texans in 2022. Vasso owns nine years of NFL experience and 11 overall in coaching after spending two seasons in the collegiate ranks. He initially joined the Texans after spending five seasons (2016-20) with the Philadelphia Eagles as the assistant coordinator / defense (2020) and assistant secondary coach (2016-19).

He has coached players to six Pro Bowl selections and two AP First-Team All-Pro selections during his time in the NFL. Vasso was also a member of the Eagles' coaching staff in 2017 that won Super Bowl LII.

In his first season as the Texans' cornerbacks coach in 2021, Vasso's unit helped the defense force 25 takeaways, tied for the 10th-most in the NFL and a 16-takeaway improvement over Houston's 2020 season total (nine). Vasso worked with DB Desmond King II, who set a single-season career high with 62 tackles (24 solo) and tied his career high of three interceptions. DB Terrance Mitchell also tied a career high with three forced fumbles on the season, totaling 45 tackles (14 solo), one interception, 10 passes defensed and one tackle for loss.

From 2016-20, Vasso coached an Eagles defense that ranked third in rushing yards per game (99.1) and third down defense (35.9 percent), sixth in redzone defense (52.7 percent) and ninth in points per game (21.8 avg.). Vasso was promoted to assistant coordinator / defense for the 2020 season and helped a unit that finished third in the NFL in sacks (49) and seventh in third-down defense (37.9 percent).

As the Eagles assistant secondary coach from 2016-19, Vasso worked closely with S Malcolm Jenkins who started all 64 games and made two Pro Bowls (2017-18) during that time span. In 2019, the Eagles secondary boasted three players (CB Avonte Maddox, CB Ronald Darby and CB Rasul Douglas) that totaled at least 10 passes defensed on the team's way to winning the NFC East Division title. The unit excelled on third down under Vasso as they finished fourth in the NFL in third down defense (34.1 percent) and only allowed 31.5 percent of conversions on passing plays, which was fourth in the league.

In 2018, Philadelphia ranked first in the NFL in red zone defense (44.6 percent) during the regular season. The Eagles also ranked sixth in third-down defense (35.3 percent) and seventh in opponent rushing yards per game (96.9). The defense was led by Jenkins who earned his third-career Pro Bowl selection after leading the team with three forced fumbles. Darby also totaled 12 passes defensed in only nine games, which was the best mark by an Eagles player.

Vasso played an integral role in the Eagles' Super Bowl LII championship team in 2017 as he coached a disruptive secondary unit. Philadelphia's 13 regular season wins tied a franchise record (2004) and the team went 9-1 at home on the year. The Eagles defense finished fourth in the NFL in takeaways (31) with 19 of those from interceptions, which tied for fourth in the league. All 19 interceptions came from defensive backs, with seven different players notching an interception. Vasso worked with a defensive back group that led the NFL in passes defensed in both the regular season (70) and postseason (15).

As the leader of the secondary, Jenkins made his first Pro Bowl as an Eagle in 2017 and helped a defense allow the fourth-fewest yards per game in the NFL (306.5). Vasso coached CB Patrick Robinson who led the team with 18 passes defensed and four interceptions. Robinson also returned an interception 50 yards for a touchdown in the Eagles' 38-7 NFC Championship victory over the Vikings (1/28/18). Under Vasso's tutelage, second-year CB Jalen Mills logged single-season career highs in passes defensed (14), interceptions (three) and interceptions returned for touchdowns (one).

In Vasso's first season with the Eagles in 2016, the secondary featured three different players with at least 10 passes defensed and four with at least one interception. Jenkins logged three interceptions and returned two of them for touchdowns, becoming the fifth Eagles player in franchise history to return two interceptions for touchdowns in a season.

Prior to joining the Eagles, Vasso spent three seasons (2013-15) with the Kansas City Chiefs as a coaching assistant, working primarily with the secondary. Vasso helped rookie CB Marcus Peters set numerous franchise records, including most interceptions by a rookie (eight) and most passes defensed (26). Peters' 26 passes defensed are still the most by a rookie in NFL history. Additionally, his two interception returns for touchdowns tied a Chiefs rookie record and his 280 interception return yards were the most in franchise history and the ninth-most in NFL history.

In 2014, the defensive backs helped the Chiefs defense rank second in the NFL in passing defense (203.3) and points per game (17.6). The group also completed the season without allowing a 300-yard passer, becoming the only team in the league to do so that year.

The 2013 season resulted in a Chiefs defense that forced the second-most takeaways (36) in the NFL. Vasso worked with a secondary unit that helped the defense tie for the third-most interceptions (21) in the NFL and finished tied for fifth in points allowed per game (19.1). S Eric Berry made his third trip to the Pro Bowl and earned First-Team All-Pro honors for the first time in his career under Vasso's assistance.

Vasso originally joined the Chiefs after spending one season (2012) at the University of Missouri as the Tigers defensive graduate assistant. At Missouri, Vasso assisted with recruiting and the compilation of information for the defensive prospects for the Tigers. Prior to joining Mizzou, he served as an offensive intern at Temple (2011).

Vasso was a four-year letterman and starter at defensive back at the University of New Hampshire (2006-10), after redshirting his freshman season. He started 51 consecutive games for the Wildcats from 2007-10. As a senior, Vasso earned first-team AFCA All-American honors when he totaled six interceptions. In his collegiate career, he recorded 287 tackles, 18 career interceptions, three interception returns for touchdowns, 41 passes defensed and six tackles for loss.

Prior to his collegiate career, Vasso lettered in football, basketball and track at Ridley High School in Folsom, Pa. He and his wife, Ryan, live in Manvel, Texas.

Vasso's Coaching Ledger

2021-22 Cornerbacks Houston Texans

2020 Assistant Coordinator / Defense Philadelphia Eagles

2016-19 Assistant Secondary Philadelphia Eagles

2013-15 Coaching Assistant Kansas City Chiefs

2012 Defensive Graduate Assistant Missouri

2011 Offensive Intern Temple