Colt Anderson’s playing experience gives himself head start as a new coach

Going back to last year, the Cincinnati Bengals were no strangers to giving coaches their first big break. Colt Anderson being hired as the club’s new assistant special teams coordinator may not equate to Zac Taylor, Brian Callahan and Lou Anarumo all getting hired in new positions for the first time, but Anderson is as green as they come.

This may be Anderson’s first NFL coaching job, but he feels like he has plenty to offer as an NFL veteran of eight years; most of them playing special teams.

“Just experience playing. Being in their seats and over the course of (eight) years I had four great coordinators that taught me the game,” Anderson told Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com. “I can help them with little things in technique and approach and help them be successful. As a veteran in the NFL you tend to be that anyway, you tend to be that veteran in the room where the young guys come and ask you, ‘What do you think here? What do you see here?’ That’s what I’m going to do.”

This actually is a very valuable point of view to have on a coaching staff. He becomes a nice middle man who can give the perspective of a player to coaches as well as give the perspective of coaches to players. He also serves as a great example for undrafted or low roster players. He fought he way into the league after not being drafted into playing an eight year career as a special teamer. That is something that hasn’t gone unnoticed by special teams coordinator Darrin Simmons.

“He has the experiences of playing in the league and that means something,” Simmons said. “We hired him because of his personality and what he brings. It means something to him. It’s important to him.

“I don’t know that he came out of nowhere as a player, but he worked his way into becoming a prominent player in our league with hard work and effort. And I expect no different from him as a coach. He’s done the things that it takes for him to be successful.”

The Bengals have had quite a few success stories as of late with undrafted free agents turning into special team stars. Running back Cedric Peerman carved out an eight-year career with Cincinnati, and was widely known as an ace on a great special teams. He left big shoes to fill that safety Clayton Fejedelem filled them. He has been with the team for four seasons. Of course fellow safety Brandon Wilson has been fantastic, and he even has come on as a returner last year. Also last season, undrafted rookie wide receiver Stanley Morgan came on at the end of the season as a gunner on punt coverage.

Anderson’s addition doesn’t move the needle as far as coaching so much. Obviously, Simmons has had this ship going steady for years now. What it does is help groom another great coaching mind that keeps the ship coasting. People may be off put by his lack of coaching experience, but Anderson’s abundance of playing experience should give him a great foundation to learn from an an early lead on having his voice heard by players.