Lunda Wells enters his sixth season as the Cowboys tight ends coach and will look to continue the growth of a talented and versatile tight end room in Dallas.
Despite missing several games with injuries in 2024, Jake Ferguson again proved to be a trusted and dependable target for the Dallas offense, finishing second on the team with 59 receptions - the second consecutive season he ranked second in catches. He joined Jason Witten as the only two Cowboys tight ends with 50 receptions in two of his first three NFL seasons. Young tight ends Luke Schoonmaker and Brevyn Spann-Ford also took a step forward in their development, proving to be dependable as pass catchers, run blockers and special teams players. The tight end group claimed 18% of the club's receiving first downs in 2024, and as a whole, accounted for 24% of the team's catches.
Wells oversaw the development of second-year tight end Ferguson in 2023, who was in his first season as the starter. Ferguson notched 71 receptions for 761 yards and five touchdowns to earn his first Pro Bowl nod, and his 761 receiving yards ranked eighth among NFL tight ends. He became the third tight end in franchise history to record at least 70 receptions and 700 receiving yards in a season, joining Witten and Dalton Schultz. Under Wells, Ferguson tallied 90 career receptions and 935 receiving yards, both the second-most by a Cowboys tight in the first two seasons of a career, trailing only Witten.
During the 2022 season, Wells saw diverse production from his tight end group. Schultz remained the group's leader, as he collected 57 receptions (second on the team) for 577 yards (second) and five touchdowns (second). Behind him, Wells received more production from two rookie tight ends - fourth round selection Ferguson (19 receptions for 174 yards and two touchdowns) and undrafted free agent Peyton Hendershot (11 receptions for 103 yards and two scores) - as they became the third rookie tight end duo in NFL history to record multiple receiving touchdowns in their first season.
The tight end group was led again by Schultz in 2021, and under Wells' leadership, he recorded his best season with 78 catches for 808 yards and eight touchdowns - becoming the second Cowboys tight end to record 70 catches in a season (Witten, nine times).
In 2020 Wells helped Schultz achieve a breakout season after starting tight end Blake Jarwin suffered a season-ending knee injury in Week 1. Despite the loss of Jarwin, Wells shaped Schultz into one of the top tight ends in the NFC during 2020, as Schultz recorded 615 receiving yards and four touchdowns on 64 catches.
Prior to Dallas, Wells spent eight seasons in different roles with the N.Y. Giants. From 2018-19 Wells worked with a young and talented tight end in Evan Engram, who caught 88 passes and six touchdowns over two seasons, despite missing 13 games due to injury. Before assuming his position as tight ends coach, Wells spent five seasons as the team's assistant offensive line coach, first under Pat Flaherty and then Mike Solari. In 2017 Wells helped tutor a line that was constantly in transition. The Giants used 10 different starting combinations, their highest single-season total since the 1970 merger.
New York scored 420 points in 2015, the fifth-highest total in franchise history, and its 5,956 net yards were the third-highest total in team history. With the line providing consistent protection, Eli Manning set a single-season franchise record with 387 completions, and his 4,432 yards and 35 touchdown passes were both the second-highest totals in Giants history.
Wells joined the Giants in 2012 as an offensive quality control coach. He also helped coach the wide receivers that season. In 2012 the Giants scored 429 points, the second-highest total in franchise history.
Before joining the Giants staff, Wells spent four seasons at Louisiana State. From 2008-09 he was an offensive line assistant, and in his final two years at LSU, Wells was an assistant to the head coach and an assistant on special teams. In 2010 Wells was an offensive line intern for Dallas Cowboys training camp, where he worked alongside Hudson Houck.
Wells was the offensive line coach/run game coordinator/head strength and conditioning coach at Scotlandville High School in Baton Rouge, La. from 2006-07. He coached the offensive line and devised the offensive run game plans.
An offensive lineman, Wells played in the Arena Football League for the Grand Rapids Rampage, South Georgia Rampage and Louisiana Swashbucklers following a four-year career at guard at Southern University (2002-05). He was voted to the All-Southwestern Athletic Conference first team in 2002 and 2005, and Southern won the 2003 SWAC championship. He earned a bachelor's degree in criminal justice and, in 2007, a master's degree in criminal justice at Southern.
Wells is a native of Baker, La., just outside Baton Rouge. He was a Class 5A first-team all-state offensive line selection at Baker High School.
He and his wife, Tiffany, have two daughters, Adanya Neema and Zalika Nia.
