Bengals vs Raiders Week 1: Player and coaching connections

A bunch of Bengals are returning west this weekend after growing up or going to college in the area. Marvin Jones and rookie safety Derron Smith played at University of California and Fresno State respectively. They both Tweeted about making returns to the California.

Just touched down in the Bay! Haven't been out this way since I left!!

— Marvin Jones Jr (@MarvinJonesJr) September 12, 2015

Back in Cali ☀️

— Derron Smith (@D_SmithFS) September 12, 2015

There are also significant coaching connections between the teams. These include Bengals offensive coordinator, Hue was Oakland's former Head Coach. Additionally, Raiders head coach Jack Del Rio was the linebackers coach for the Baltimore Ravens from 1999-2001, where he coached on now-Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis' staff while he was defensive coordinator in Baltimore. The two helped the Ravens win Super Bowl XXXV in 2000.

Coaching Connections:

• Bengals offensive coordinator Hue Jackson was on the Raiders coaching staff from 2010-2011, including being their head coach in 2011, when his team tied for the best record in the AFC West at 8-8 (still tied for Raiders' best record since 2002).
• Raiders head coach Jack Del Rio was the linebackers coach for the Baltimore Ravens from 1999-2001 while Marvin Lewis was their defensive coordinator.
• Jackson played collegiately at University of the Pacific from 1985-1986, coached there from 1987-1989, and also coached at University of California in 1996.
• Bengals defensive line coach Jay Hayes coached at University of California from 1992-94
• Raiders TEs coach Bobby Johnson played OT at Miami (Ohio) and coached there from 1999-2004 before coaching at Indiana from 2005-2009.
• Raiders RBs coach Bernie Parmalee played RB at Ball State.
• Raiders LBs coach Sal Sunseri coached at Louisville from 1995-1997.
• Raiders linebackers coach Sal Sunseri and Bengals Head Coach Marvin Lewis worked together with the linebackers for two seasons (1990-1991) at the University of Pittsburgh.

Bengals who were Raiders:

• Bengals DT Pat Sims played for the Raiders from 2013-14.

Bengals with Northern California ties:

• Bengals HB Ryan Hewitt played at Stanford.
• Bengals LB Rey Maualuga is from Eureka, California.
• Bengals WR Marvin Jones played at University of California.
• Bengals S Derron Smith played at Fresno State and is from Banning, California.

Raiders with Ohio/Kentucky ties:

• Raiders DB Chimdi Chekwa played at Ohio State.
• Raiders S TJ Carrie played at Ohio University.
• Raiders DT Ricky Lumpkin played at Kentucky.
• Raiders RB Michael Dyer played at Louisville.
• Raiders tight ends coach Bobby Johnson (Akron) and S Charles Woodson (Fremont) both grew up about three-and-a-half hours away from Cincinnati.

Player connections:

• Raiders S Charles Woodson and Bengals LB A.J. Hawk were teammates for seven season (2006-2012) with the Green Bay Packers, helping the team win Super Bowl XLV in 2010.
• Raiders Head Coach Jack Del Rio (linebacker) and Bengals tight ends coach Jonathan Hayes (tight end) were teammates with the Kansas City Chiefs for two seasons in 1987-1988. Hayes was also teammates with Raiders assistant defensive backs coach Rod Woodson (defensive back) with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1994-1996.
• Bengals LB Rey Maualuga played with Raiders LB Malcolm Smith at USC for two seasons (2007-2008). Maualuga was coached by Raiders defensive coordinator Ken Norton, Jr. (linebackers coach) from 2005-2008, Raiders defensive assistant Sam Anno (defensive and special teams graduate assistant/football systems analyst) from 2005-2007.
• Bengals QB AJ McCarron was coached by Raiders senior offensive assistant Jake Peetz (offensive analyst/assistant quarterbacks coach) at Alabama in 2013. McCarron also worked with Raiders linebackers coach Sal Sunseri in 2010-2011.
• Bengals QB AJ McCarron played two seasons (2012-2013) with Raiders WR Amari Cooper at Alabama, helping the Crimson Tide win a BCS National Championship.