Michigan State University Athletics
John McNulty, a coaching veteran of more than 30 years, spent the 2025 season as a senior offensive assistant at Rutgers. (Photo courtesy of Rutgers Athletics)
John McNulty Named Spartan Quarterbacks Coach
2/5/2026 4:01:00 PM | Football
EAST LANSING, Mich. – Michigan State head football coach Pat Fitzgerald has named John McNulty the program's quarterbacks coach.
McNulty most recently was a senior offensive assistant at Rutgers in 2025 and worked with MSU offensive coordinator Nick Sheridan for one season at Alabama as an analyst in 2024.
McNulty has over 30 years of coaching experience, including time at Boston College (offensive coordinator in 2022) and Notre Dame (tight ends coach in 2020-21), and also spent 15 years overall in the NFL with stints at Jacksonville (1998-2002), Dallas (2003), Arizona (2009-12), Tampa Bay (2013), Tennessee (2014-15) and San Diego/Los Angeles (2016-17).
"We wanted someone with coordinating experience, someone with a quarterback background – obviously that speaks for itself with John McNulty – and then someone that either of us (Nick Sheridan, offensive coordinator) had a familiarity with, and Nick and John have worked together before," said Fitzgerald at his signing day press conference on Wednesday. "(We) interviewed a handful of candidates, had an outpouring, again, of candidates interested, and I'm very thankful for that – but we kind of set our parameters for what we were looking for, and we were able to get that done relatively quickly but very thoroughly. I feel like we've added a piece of comfort that Nick has that they've worked together in the past, so I'm excited to get John here."
Before returning to Piscataway in 2025, McNulty had previously coached at Rutgers on two previous occasions. He joined Greg Schiano's staff in 2004 as the wide receivers coach, then was promoted to co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach in 2006, and took over as offensive coordinator for two seasons (2007-08) while remaining in his role as QB coach. After his time in the NFL, McNulty came back to the college ranks at RU as the Scarlet Knights' offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach in 2018-19.
McNulty piloted one of the most prolific offenses in Rutgers history in 2007, with the Scarlet Knights becoming the first FBS program to have a 3,000-yard passer (Mike Teel), 2,000-yard rusher (Ray Rice) and a pair of 1,000-yard receivers (Kenny Britt and Tiquan Underwood) in the same season. The Scarlet Knights set school records for scoring (426), first downs (294) and total offense (5,841) in 2007. McNulty was part of four bowl teams during his first five-year tenure at Rutgers, including three straight wins at the Texas, International and PapaJohns.com Bowls.
McNulty began his 15-year NFL career with the Jacksonville Jaguars on the offensive staff from 1998-2002. He then joined the Dallas Cowboys in 2003 with Hall of Fame head coach Bill Parcells. During his first six-year stint in the NFL, McNulty helped his teams advance to three playoff berths. While in Jacksonville, he coached two of the NFL's top receiving duos in Jimmy Smith and Keenan McCardell. In 2000 and 2001, the pair combined for 390 receptions and 4,903 yards, while Smith earned All-Pro honors both seasons.
Following a five-year run at Rutgers from 2004-08, McNulty spent three seasons with the Arizona Cardinals, coaching wide receivers from 2009-11, including All-Pro receiver Larry Fitzgerald, and quarterbacks in 2012. He later joined the Tampa Bay Buccaneers staff for the 2013 season, coaching rookie quarterback Mike Glennon, who earned All-Rookie honors.
McNulty served as quarterbacks coach for two seasons with the Tennessee Titans from 2014-15 under his former Arizona Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt. While with the Titans, he mentored second overall pick Marcus Mariota for the 2015 season. Mariota went on to earn All-Rookie honors after finishing the season with the highest passer rating among rookies (91.5). He posted four games with at least three touchdown passes in 2015, tying Peyton Manning (1998) for the most ever by an NFL rookie despite missing four games. Mariota also broke the franchise record for most passing touchdowns (19), completions (230) and passing yards (2,818) by a rookie.
McNulty then took on the role of tight ends coach for the San Diego/Los Angeles Chargers in 2016-17, coaching Hall of Famer Antonio Gates.
During McNulty's two seasons at Notre Dame (2020-21), the Fighting Irish recorded a 21-4 record, including a berth in the College Football Playoff in 2020. He coached NFL Draft picks Tommy Tremble (third round, Carolina, 2021) and Michael Mayer (first round, Las Vegas, 2023) while at UND, and both players are currently playing in the NFL. After spending one season as the offensive coordinator at Boston College in 2022 under Jeff Hafley, McNulty was an offensive analyst for two seasons at Alabama, first under Nick Saban in 2023 as the Crimson Tide won the SEC and reached the College Football Playoff, and then under Kalen DeBoer in 2024, where he worked with Sheridan.
McNulty's first full-time coaching role came as the wide receivers coach at UConn for three seasons (1995-97). A three-year safety at Penn State from 1988-90, McNulty, a native of Scranton, Pennsylvania, began his coaching career as a graduate assistant for four years at Michigan (1991-94).
McNulty and his wife, Kim, have four daughters, Abigail, Allison, Megan and Kaitlyn.
THE McNULTY FILE
PREVIOUS COACHING EXPERIENCE
2025: Rutgers (senior offensive assistant)
2023-24: Alabama (analyst)
2022: Boston College (offensive coordinator)
2020-21: Notre Dame (tight ends)
2019: Penn State (analyst)
2018-19: Rutgers (offensive coordinator/quarterbacks)
2016-17: San Diego/Los Angeles Chargers (tight ends)
2014-15: Tennessee Titans (quarterbacks)
2013: Tampa Bay Buccaneers (quarterbacks)
2012: Arizona Cardinals (quarterbacks)
2009-11: Arizona Cardinals (wide receivers)
2007-08: Rutgers (offensive coordinator/quarterbacks)
2006: Rutgers (assistant offensive coordinator/quarterbacks)
2004-05: Rutgers (wide receivers)
2003: Dallas Cowboys (wide receivers)
2000-02: Jacksonville Jaguars (wide receivers)
1998-99: Jacksonville Jaguars (offensive quality control)
1995-97: Connecticut (wide receivers)
1991-94: Michigan (graduate assistant)
PLAYING EXPERIENCE
Played three years as a safety at Penn State (1988-90).
McNulty most recently was a senior offensive assistant at Rutgers in 2025 and worked with MSU offensive coordinator Nick Sheridan for one season at Alabama as an analyst in 2024.
McNulty has over 30 years of coaching experience, including time at Boston College (offensive coordinator in 2022) and Notre Dame (tight ends coach in 2020-21), and also spent 15 years overall in the NFL with stints at Jacksonville (1998-2002), Dallas (2003), Arizona (2009-12), Tampa Bay (2013), Tennessee (2014-15) and San Diego/Los Angeles (2016-17).
"We wanted someone with coordinating experience, someone with a quarterback background – obviously that speaks for itself with John McNulty – and then someone that either of us (Nick Sheridan, offensive coordinator) had a familiarity with, and Nick and John have worked together before," said Fitzgerald at his signing day press conference on Wednesday. "(We) interviewed a handful of candidates, had an outpouring, again, of candidates interested, and I'm very thankful for that – but we kind of set our parameters for what we were looking for, and we were able to get that done relatively quickly but very thoroughly. I feel like we've added a piece of comfort that Nick has that they've worked together in the past, so I'm excited to get John here."
Before returning to Piscataway in 2025, McNulty had previously coached at Rutgers on two previous occasions. He joined Greg Schiano's staff in 2004 as the wide receivers coach, then was promoted to co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach in 2006, and took over as offensive coordinator for two seasons (2007-08) while remaining in his role as QB coach. After his time in the NFL, McNulty came back to the college ranks at RU as the Scarlet Knights' offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach in 2018-19.
McNulty piloted one of the most prolific offenses in Rutgers history in 2007, with the Scarlet Knights becoming the first FBS program to have a 3,000-yard passer (Mike Teel), 2,000-yard rusher (Ray Rice) and a pair of 1,000-yard receivers (Kenny Britt and Tiquan Underwood) in the same season. The Scarlet Knights set school records for scoring (426), first downs (294) and total offense (5,841) in 2007. McNulty was part of four bowl teams during his first five-year tenure at Rutgers, including three straight wins at the Texas, International and PapaJohns.com Bowls.
McNulty began his 15-year NFL career with the Jacksonville Jaguars on the offensive staff from 1998-2002. He then joined the Dallas Cowboys in 2003 with Hall of Fame head coach Bill Parcells. During his first six-year stint in the NFL, McNulty helped his teams advance to three playoff berths. While in Jacksonville, he coached two of the NFL's top receiving duos in Jimmy Smith and Keenan McCardell. In 2000 and 2001, the pair combined for 390 receptions and 4,903 yards, while Smith earned All-Pro honors both seasons.
Following a five-year run at Rutgers from 2004-08, McNulty spent three seasons with the Arizona Cardinals, coaching wide receivers from 2009-11, including All-Pro receiver Larry Fitzgerald, and quarterbacks in 2012. He later joined the Tampa Bay Buccaneers staff for the 2013 season, coaching rookie quarterback Mike Glennon, who earned All-Rookie honors.
McNulty served as quarterbacks coach for two seasons with the Tennessee Titans from 2014-15 under his former Arizona Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt. While with the Titans, he mentored second overall pick Marcus Mariota for the 2015 season. Mariota went on to earn All-Rookie honors after finishing the season with the highest passer rating among rookies (91.5). He posted four games with at least three touchdown passes in 2015, tying Peyton Manning (1998) for the most ever by an NFL rookie despite missing four games. Mariota also broke the franchise record for most passing touchdowns (19), completions (230) and passing yards (2,818) by a rookie.
McNulty then took on the role of tight ends coach for the San Diego/Los Angeles Chargers in 2016-17, coaching Hall of Famer Antonio Gates.
During McNulty's two seasons at Notre Dame (2020-21), the Fighting Irish recorded a 21-4 record, including a berth in the College Football Playoff in 2020. He coached NFL Draft picks Tommy Tremble (third round, Carolina, 2021) and Michael Mayer (first round, Las Vegas, 2023) while at UND, and both players are currently playing in the NFL. After spending one season as the offensive coordinator at Boston College in 2022 under Jeff Hafley, McNulty was an offensive analyst for two seasons at Alabama, first under Nick Saban in 2023 as the Crimson Tide won the SEC and reached the College Football Playoff, and then under Kalen DeBoer in 2024, where he worked with Sheridan.
McNulty's first full-time coaching role came as the wide receivers coach at UConn for three seasons (1995-97). A three-year safety at Penn State from 1988-90, McNulty, a native of Scranton, Pennsylvania, began his coaching career as a graduate assistant for four years at Michigan (1991-94).
McNulty and his wife, Kim, have four daughters, Abigail, Allison, Megan and Kaitlyn.
THE McNULTY FILE
PREVIOUS COACHING EXPERIENCE
2025: Rutgers (senior offensive assistant)
2023-24: Alabama (analyst)
2022: Boston College (offensive coordinator)
2020-21: Notre Dame (tight ends)
2019: Penn State (analyst)
2018-19: Rutgers (offensive coordinator/quarterbacks)
2016-17: San Diego/Los Angeles Chargers (tight ends)
2014-15: Tennessee Titans (quarterbacks)
2013: Tampa Bay Buccaneers (quarterbacks)
2012: Arizona Cardinals (quarterbacks)
2009-11: Arizona Cardinals (wide receivers)
2007-08: Rutgers (offensive coordinator/quarterbacks)
2006: Rutgers (assistant offensive coordinator/quarterbacks)
2004-05: Rutgers (wide receivers)
2003: Dallas Cowboys (wide receivers)
2000-02: Jacksonville Jaguars (wide receivers)
1998-99: Jacksonville Jaguars (offensive quality control)
1995-97: Connecticut (wide receivers)
1991-94: Michigan (graduate assistant)
PLAYING EXPERIENCE
Played three years as a safety at Penn State (1988-90).
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