Chris Kuper enters his third year as assistant offensive line coach for the Denver Broncos in 2021. He was hired by the club on Jan. 22, 2019.
Kuper, who played offensive guard for the Broncos for eight seasons (2006-13), spent three years on Miami's coaching staff before returning to Denver. He was an assistant offensive line coach for the Dolphins from 2017-18 and an offensive quality control coach in 2016.
This past season, Kuper helped coach an offensive line that used five different combinations and featured steady improvement throughout the year. The unit, which included second-team All-Pro tackle Garett Bolles, ranked tied for fourth in the NFL in sacks allowed (19) and sacks allowed per game (1.5) through the final 14 weeks of the season.
In 2019, Kuper assisted an offensive line that included guard Dalton Risner, who named to the PFWA's All-Rookie Team after playing the eighth-most snaps (1,035) among all first-year players. Denver's rushing offense averaged 103.9 yards per game as second-year running back Phillip Lindsay topped 1,000 yards.
From 2017-18, Miami's rushing attacked improved by nearly 25 yards per game (108.6) as the Dolphins' offense experienced the NFL's largest increase in rushing yards before contact (+468 yds.) in Kuper's second year assisting the offensive line. Third-year left tackle Laremy Tunsil also showed improvement in his second season working with Kuper, allowing just one sack in 2018 after being credited with six in 2017, according to STATS LLC.
In 2017, the Dolphins allowed just 33 sacks (11th in the NFL) despite using nine different offensive line combinations. Kuper took over the offensive line coaching duties for the final 11 weeks of the season, contributing to running back Kenyan Drake leading the NFL with 444 rushing yards over the final five weeks.
Kuper helped the Dolphins to a 10-win season and a postseason appearance in 2016 as Miami won nine of its final 11 games. During those 11 contests, the team ranked No. 3 in the NFL with 132.9 rushing yards per game and tied for third in the league with just 13 sacks allowed.
Selected by Denver in the fifth round (161st overall) of 2006 NFL Draft from the University of North Dakota, Kuper started 79-of-90 games played (68 at RG; 11 at LG) while playing his entire eight-year NFL career with the Broncos. A three-time captain, Kuper was the recipient of the Ed Block Courage Award in 2012 as voted on by his teammates.
Kuper, a two-time All-American at North Dakota (2004-05), and his wife, Cynthia, have four children: Madeline (10), James (8), Anna (5) and Alexandra (3). A native of Anchorage, Alaska, he was born on Dec. 19, 1982.
