Tennessee Football. Saturday, Sept. 15, 2024. Photo by Cole Moore/Rocky Top Insider
Former Tennessee defensive lineman LaTroy Lewis is making the jump from the college to the professional coaching ranks. According to a report from CBS Sports’ Matt Zenitz on Monday night, the Atlanta Falcons are hiring Lewis as an assistant defensive line coach with the organization. Lewis then posted a celebratory message to social media on Tuesday morning with the Falcons logo, seemingly confirming his move to the NFL.
God is Great! Let’s Work!!!!!!!!!! #RiseUp pic.twitter.com/WRTfoiVPpN
— LaTroy Lewis (@MrPrimetime4) February 10, 2026
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Lewis’ move to the Falcons’ organization comes just over a month after taking a new position in college football. Lewis was hired to be UConn’s defensive line coach back in early January. He followed Huskies’ new coach Jason Candle after the two spent the 2025 football season together at Toledo. Lewis worked as the Rockets’ defensive line coach during that season.
The Akron, OH, native spent five seasons at Tennessee from 2012 to 2016. He originally committed to and played for former head coach Derek Dooley as a true freshman, and was part of the roster when the head coaching role transitioned to Butch Jones before the 2013 season. Lewis was a redshirt-freshman during his first season under Jones.
In total, Lewis racked up 77 total tackles, 12 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks, two pass deflections, two forced fumbles, and one fumble recovery during his time in Knoxville. Lewis’s most productive season came as a redshirt senior in his final year, racking up career highs in tackles (36) and sacks (2.5). He played in 11 games with four starts during that season.
Lewis went undrafted in the 2017 NFL Draft. He signed with the Oakland Raiders for the preseason, but was waived. He would get picked up by the Houston Texans and make his regular-season NFL debut during the 2017 season. In 2018, he returned to the state of Tennessee to play for the Tennessee Titans. He played for the Houston Roughnecks in the XFL in 2020 before beginning his coaching career.
Lewis began his coaching career with graduate assistant stops at Akron, South Alabama, and Michigan, with a special teams analyst role at Wake Forest mixed in there as well. He got his first shot at being a position coach with Toledo in 2025 as the team’s defensive line coach. Lewis was expected to have the same role with UConn this season, but it looks like he’s taking his talents to the NFL instead. He’ll reportedly be an assistant defensive line coach with the Falcons.