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Bobby Slowik

Bobby Slowik (born June 9, 1987) is an coach who serves as the senior passing game coordinator for the of the (). The son of longtime coach , who served as a for multiple teams including the and , Bobby Slowik grew up immersed in professional . He attended Green Bay Southwest High School in , and played wide receiver and returned punts at from 2005 to 2009, where he majored in . Slowik entered the in 2010 as a video assistant with the (now ), transitioning to defensive assistant from 2011 to 2013 under head coach . After a brief hiatus from 2014 to 2016, Slowik returned to in 2017 as for the , working under head coach . He shifted to the offensive side in 2019 as an offensive assistant, advancing to passing game specialist in 2021 and passing game coordinator in 2022, contributing to the 49ers' consistent playoff appearances and a appearance in the 2019 season. In 2023, Slowik joined the Houston Texans as offensive coordinator under head coach , a former 49ers colleague; that year, the Texans finished 10–7, captured the division title for the first time since 2019, and defeated the 45–14 in the Wild Card round before losing to the in the divisional playoffs. The offense under Slowik ranked sixth in passing yards per game (269.3) and 12th in total yards (342.4) during the 2023 regular season. Slowik's tenure in Houston continued into 2024, when the Texans again posted a 10–7 record and won the , but the offense regressed to 22nd in total yards (319.7) and 19th in points per game (21.9), leading to his dismissal on January 24, 2025, alongside offensive line coach . Despite the firing, Slowik emerged as a head coaching candidate during the 2024 offseason, interviewing with teams including the , and his innovative Shanahan-influenced scheme drew praise for developing rookie quarterback into a talent in 2023. In 2025, he joined the Dolphins' staff, bringing his expertise in pass-game design to support quarterback and offensive coordinator Frank Smith.

Early life and playing career

Family background and education

Bobby Slowik was born on June 9, 1987, in . He grew up in a family deeply immersed in football and athletics, with his father, , a longtime coach who served as for the (1993–1998), (2004), (1999), and (2007–2008). His mother, Carol Thomson Slowik, was a college coach and a Sports Hall of Famer who once held the world record in the 60-yard hurdles. Slowik has an older brother, Ryan Slowik, who is also an coach and currently serves as the defensive backs coach and pass game specialist for the . Coming from a defensively oriented family, Slowik has described himself as the "" for pursuing offensive coaching. This familial emphasis on defense shaped his early exposure to professional , though his own path diverged toward offensive strategies. Slowik attended Green Bay Southwest High School in , graduating in 2005. He attended (Michigan Tech) from 2005 to 2009, where he majored in . Following his playing career, Slowik earned a degree in from Michigan Tech. A suggestion from his father and connections in the league directed him toward football, leading to his entry into the in 2010. He is married to Lucy Theresa Dernovsek Slowik, a former player who competed at the University of Wisconsin-Superior after playing as a guard at Lake Holcombe High School in .

College football career

Bobby Slowik played as a for the Huskies, a program in the (GLIAC), from 2006 to 2009 after redshirting in 2005. He also contributed on special teams as a punt returner during his tenure. Over his four seasons, Slowik amassed 129 receptions for 2,089 yards and 14 touchdowns, averaging 16.2 yards per catch, providing a consistent presence in the Huskies' offense despite the program's modest resources and competitive challenges in Division II. In his senior year of 2009, Slowik started 10 games and recorded 43 receptions for 603 yards and four touchdowns, ranking ninth in the GLIAC in receiving yards per game. The previous season in 2008, he earned All-GLIAC honors, recognizing his reliability as a key offensive contributor for a team that operated in a smaller athletic department with limited national visibility. These performances highlighted his role in supporting the Huskies' passing game, though the team's overall record remained unremarkable, reflecting the constraints of a Division II program in a rugged conference.

Coaching career

Washington Commanders

Slowik's first NFL coaching position was as a defensive assistant for the Washington Redskins (now Washington Commanders) in 2011, under head coach Mike Shanahan, following a 2010 stint as video assistant. He joined the staff alongside his father, Bob Slowik, who served as the team's defensive backs coach that year before transitioning to linebackers coach in 2012. In his role, Slowik supported the defensive unit through scouting, film analysis, and tasks, particularly aiding the linebacker group amid the team's rebuilding efforts following several underwhelming seasons. His contributions helped the rank 14th in the (ninth in the ) in total yards allowed per game (339.8) during the 2011 season. Slowik remained with the Redskins through the 2013 season, a tenure that overlapped with the team's 10-6 record and division title in 2012. The 2013 campaign ended poorly at 3-13, leading to the firing of head coach and subsequent staff overhaul, after which Slowik departed the organization.

Pro Football Focus

After leaving his coaching position with the Washington Redskins in 2013, Bobby Slowik joined (PFF) in 2014 as an , a move suggested by his older brother amid challenges in securing another coaching role shortly after his marriage. At PFF, Slowik's responsibilities included dissecting game film, grading player performances, and collaborating with the team on evaluating complex plays, drawing on his experience from both offensive and defensive perspectives to provide insights into subjective and objective analysis. He served in this role until 2016, during which he contributed to the organization's analytical efforts by reviewing and discussing challenging evaluations, earning praise from PFF lead analyst Sam Monson for his football knowledge and openness to diverse viewpoints on plays. Slowik has credited his three years at PFF with providing a unique vantage point that enhanced his understanding of the game, describing the experience as "beneficial" in shaping his approach as a coach and person. "That was definitely unique... I learned a lot in my time there. They have phenomenal people at ," he noted, emphasizing how it offered a blend of analytical rigor and collaborative discussion that informed his later career development. This period marked a pivotal non-coaching detour, allowing him to build expertise in data-informed evaluations that bridged his prior defensive background toward broader offensive scheme insights.

San Francisco 49ers

Bobby Slowik joined the in 2017 as a under , the son of former NFL coach . In this initial role, Slowik focused on film breakdown and defensive preparation, contributing to the team's defensive strategies during his first two seasons. Slowik transitioned to the offensive side of the ball in 2019, serving as an offensive assistant for two years (2019-2020), then passing game specialist in 2021, before being promoted to passing game coordinator in 2022. In these roles, he assisted Shanahan in refining the 49ers' zone-blocking run schemes and play-action passing concepts, drawing on his prior analytics experience at to enhance scheme design and player evaluation. Among his key contributions, Slowik played a hands-on role in the development of quarterback , emphasizing footwork, timing, and rhythm in the passing game as the young signal-caller adjusted to the . He also supported the growth of wide receivers like and through tailored passing schemes. During his tenure on the offensive staff, the 49ers reached after the 2019 season and the after the 2022 season, with Slowik's work aiding the team's offensive efficiency in those playoff runs. Slowik remained with the 49ers through the 2022 season, departing afterward to join the Houston Texans.

Houston Texans

Bobby Slowik joined the Houston Texans as on February 12, 2023, hired by new , with whom he had previously collaborated in . Slowik's scheme drew from the Shanahan-style system he learned during his time with the 49ers, emphasizing zone runs, play-action passes, and pre-snap motion to create mismatches. In his debut season, Slowik orchestrated a dramatic turnaround for the Texans' offense alongside rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud, whom the team selected second overall in the 2023 NFL Draft. The unit ranked seventh in passing yards (4,173 total, 245.5 per game) and 12th in total yards (5,820), contributing to a 10-7 record, the AFC South title, and the team's first playoff appearance since 2019. Stroud thrived under Slowik's guidance, setting an NFL rookie record with 4,108 passing yards and earning Offensive Rookie of the Year honors, while the offense averaged 22.2 points per game (13th in the NFL). In the playoffs, Houston defeated the Cleveland Browns 45-14 in the wild-card round before falling to the Baltimore Ravens. The 2024 season brought significant challenges, including injuries along the offensive line and criticisms of the scheme's predictability, which limited adjustments against defenses. Stroud's performance regressed, with the offense dropping to 22nd in total yards (5,309) and 19th in points per game (20.8), despite another 10-7 division-winning campaign buoyed by a strong defense. The Texans advanced to the Divisional Round but lost to the , after which Slowik was fired on January 24, 2025, alongside several offensive assistants. Slowik's 2023 success generated substantial head coaching interest, leading to interviews with teams including the , , and that offseason, though he ultimately re-signed with . Entering the 2024 cycle, he remained a candidate but received fewer requests; the conducted a virtual interview on January 16, 2025, but did not hire him.

Miami Dolphins

In February 2025, following his departure from the Houston Texans after the 2024 season, Bobby Slowik joined the as senior passing game coordinator under head coach . This hire marked a personal milestone, as it was the first time Slowik coached alongside his brother, Ryan Slowik, the Dolphins' defensive backs coach and pass game specialist. Slowik's role centers on enhancing the passing game, including quarterback development—particularly supporting Tua Tagovailoa through collaboration with quarterbacks coach —designing advanced route concepts, and boosting overall passing efficiency. He integrates these elements into McDaniel's signature speed-based offense, which emphasizes pre-snap motion and explosive plays, by studying prior Dolphins schemes and introducing fresh strategic ideas to counter evolving defensive tactics. His contributions have focused on refining game plans to maintain offensive rhythm amid challenges like increased defensive adjustments seen in recent seasons. As of November 2025, Slowik has played a key part in the Dolphins' 2025 season preparations and early games, aiding efforts to stabilize the passing attack after inconsistencies in 2024. While he has not yet received major awards in this position, his work has been recognized for injecting new energy into the unit and helping adapt to opponents' strategies that previously disrupted Miami's aerial efficiency.

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