Marcus Robertson, a 17-year NFL coaching veteran enters his second season as the Saints' secondary coach. Robertson has spent the last 33 seasons in the NFL as a player, coach and administrator, tutoring defensive backs with the Tennessee Titans (2007-11), Detroit Lions (2012-13), Oakland Raiders (2014-16), Denver Broncos (2017-18) and Arizona Cardinals (2019-22).
In 2023, Robertson coached a secondary that finished first in the NFL in passes defensed (99), tied for third in the league for interceptions (18) and ranked tenth in opponent passing yards per game (207.3). Robertson coached CB Paulson Adebo, who recorded the third-most passes defensed (18) and led the team with six takeaways. He also coached S Tyrann Mathieu to four interceptions, tying for the team lead with Adebo.
Under Robertson's tutelage in Arizona, Budda Baker was the only safety in the NFL named to the Pro Bowl each season from 2019-22. In 15 games in 2022, Baker ranked seventh among NFL defensive backs with 111 tackles and added seven passes defensed and three takeaways. Robertson also developed S Jalen Thompson, who in 2021 was one of just five NFL players with 100+ tackles (club-best 120), 3+ interceptions (three) and 5+ passes defensed (seven). In 2022, Thompson finished second on the team with 109 stops and added two takeaways and a club-best eight passes defensed. CB Byron Murphy Jr., a second round pick in 2019, posted a career year in 2021 under Robertson's development, when he was just one of four players in the NFL with 4+ interceptions (four, including one returned for a touchdown) and 12+ passes defensed (12) and had two fumble recoveries in his first nine appearances in 2022, before being sidelined in the second half of the season. In 2022, CB Marco Wilson led the Cardinals with the first three interceptions of his career, one returned for a touchdown and ten passes defensed.
Robertson arrived in Arizona after serving in the same position with the Broncos from 2017-18 on Saints Defensive Coordinator Joe Woods' defensive staff. He helped the 2018 Broncos tie for fifth in the NFL in interceptions (17) after Denver ranked fourth in in pass defense (200.6 ypg.) and second in third down defense (31.5%) in 2017. CB Aqib Talib earned his fifth consecutive Pro Bowl selection in 2017 and CB Chris Harris was selected to his fourth career Pro Bowl in 2018. CB Bradley Roby led the Broncos in 2017 with a career-high 17 passes defensed, and Denver's secondary had all ten of the team's interceptions that season.
Robertson spent two seasons (2015-16) as the Raiders defensive backs coach after working as the assistant defensive backs coach in 2014 on Saints Head Coach Dennis Allen's Oakland staff. During his last two seasons in Oakland, the Raiders ranked eighth in the NFL with 30 interceptions and sixth in the league with 163 passes defensed, while Hall of Fame DB Charles Woodson (2015) along with S Reggie Nelson (2016) were each selected to the Pro Bowl. Woodson's five interceptions in 2015 were the most in NFL history by a player in his 18th season or later.
Robertson served as Detroit's secondary coach in 2013 after being promoted from assistant secondary coach in 2012. The Lions finished ninth in the league with 88 passes defensed and held opponents to a 59.1 completion percentage in 2013.
He began his coaching career with the Titans as assistant secondary coach for two seasons (2007-08) before being promoted to secondary coach from 2009-11. In 2008, the Titans had three first-time Pro Bowl selections (CB Cortland Finnegan, S Chris Hope, S Michael Griffin), while the secondary had 19 interceptions, ranked second in the NFL. As secondary coach, the Titans ranked second in the NFL in average passing yards per completion (10.6) between 2009-11. In 2009, Tennessee finished eighth in the NFL in interceptions (20) and second with four interceptions returned for touchdowns.
Robertson played in the NFL for 12 years with the Houston Oilers/Tennessee Titans (1991-00) and the Seattle Seahawks (2001-02) after entering the league with Houston as a fourth-round selection (102nd overall) in the 1991 NFL Draft out of Iowa State. Robertson was a first-team All-Pro at free safety in 1993 and 1997. The Pasadena, Calif. native finished his career by appearing in 162 games (144 starts), collecting 24 interceptions, 72 passes defensed, 11 fumble recoveries, nine forced fumbles and 795 tackles (638 solo). After his playing days, Robertson spent four seasons (2003-06) as the Titans director of player development.
During his four seasons at Iowa State as a cornerback, Robertson totaled 257 tackles, six interceptions and nine forced fumbles. He was inducted into the Iowa State Athletic Hall of Fame in 2008. The Pasadena, Calif. native earned a bachelor's degree in Management and Organizational Development from Bethel University in 2012. He and his wife, Holly, have two daughters, Morgan and Milan, and a son, Marcus Andrew.
PLAYING CAREER: Iowa State, 1987-90; Houston Oilers/Tennessee Titans, 1991-2000; Seattle Seahawks, 2001-02.
COACHING CAREER: Tennessee Titans, 2007-11; Detroit Lions, 2012-13; Oakland Raiders, 2014-16; Denver Broncos, 2017-18; Arizona Cardinals, 2019-22 New Orleans Saints, 2023-.
