Coach Profile

Tony Sparano joins the Cowboys as tight ends coach after a year with the Jacksonville Jaguars. He will be asked to bring an offensive punch to the tight end position in both the passing game and the running attack. With four years of NFL experience, Sparano is no newcomer to the offensive intricacies of professional fottball, having served as an offensive assistant, offensive line and tight ends coach during his time in the NFL.

While with the Jaguars, tight end Kyle Brady hauled in 43 passes for 461 yards and four touchdowns, the second-best numbers in each category for his career. In addition, tight end Pete Mitchell grabbed 25 passes for 246 yards and two touchdowns. Sparano's troops were also directly responsible for a Jags running game that averaged 4.6 yards-per-carry - fifth in the NFL - led by Fred Taylor's 1,314 yards.

Prior to joining the Jaguars, he spent the 2001 season as tight ends coach for the Washington Redskins. In 1999 to 2000, he was an assistant with the Cleveland Browns, his first season as offensve quality control coach and then moving to the offensive line in 2000.

From 1994 to 1998, Sparano was the head coach at the University of New Haven (Conn.), where his teams averaged 32.2 points-per-game and made two trips to the NCAA Division II playoffs, finishg second in 1997. He was named the New York Metropolitan Football Writers Divsion II Coach of the Year and was the New England Football Writers Divsion II/III Coach of the Year in both 1995 and 1997.

Sparano began his coaching career at New Haven in 1984, spending four seasons as the offensvie line coach and reruiting coordinator. He was the offensive line coach, recruiting coordinator and academic liaison at Boston University in 1988. From 1989 to 1993, he was BU's offensvie coordinator, helping the Terriers to an 11-0 mark in 1993.

Sparano was a four-year letterman and starting center at New Haven, where he also earned a degree in criminal law in 1982.

Born on Oct. 7, 1961 in West Haven, Conn., Sparano was a standout offensive lineman at Richard C. Lee High School. He and his wife, Jeanette, have two sons, Tony (10/22/86) and Andrew (8/28/89), and a daughter, Tyan Leigh (8/1/92).