Scott Linehan Scott Thomas Linehan ( born September 17 , 1963 ) is an American football coach , currently the offensive coordinator for the Detroit Lions of the NFL . He was previously the head coach of the St . Louis Rams and the offensive coordinator for the Miami Dolphins and the Minnesota Vikings . Prior to becoming an NFL coach in 2002 , he was a collegiate assistant coach for thirteen seasons . Biography . Early life . Linehan was born and raised in Sunnyside , Washington , now a city of 16 , 000 in the lower Yakima Valley of eastern Washington . About three hours southeast of Seattle . He was a three - year starter at quarterback at Sunnyside High School , where his father was principal . Linehan graduated in 1982 and accepted a scholarship to play college football at the University of Idaho in Moscow , two hundred miles ( 320 km ) to the east . He was a member of Dennis Erickson ' s first recruiting class as a collegiate head coach . Linehan ' s brothers Ron and Rick had played at Idaho in the 1970s , team leaders on defense . Playing career . Linehan was a quarterback for the Vandals under head coaches Erickson ( 1982 – 85 ) and Keith Gilbertson . He redshirted in 1982 and was the back - up to senior All - American Ken Hobart in 1983 . Linehan became the starter in 1984 as a redshirt sophomore , but broke his clavicle early in the second game and missed most of that game and two additional starts . The Vandals struggled to a 2 - 5 record , then won four straight to finish 6 - 5 and third in the Big Sky . The season concluded with a 37 - 0 victory in the rivalry game with Boise State in Bronco Stadium . In 1985 , Linehan led Idaho to a 5 - 1 record as a starter , then a stress fracture in his right foot required surgery and sidelined him for the season . Idaho won the Big Sky title and had consecutive Division I - AA playoff appearances in 1985 and 1986 . Finally healthy for a full season as a fifth - year senior in 1986 , Idaho went 8 - 3 in the regular season and he threw for 2 , 954 yards , ending his college career with over 7 , 000 yards . Not selected in the 1987 NFL Draft , Linehan signed a rookie free agent contract with the Dallas Cowboys in 1987 , but a shoulder injury quickly ended his playing career when he was cut at the start of his rookie training camp . Coaching career . Linehan began his coaching career as a volunteer coach at Sunset High School in Portland in 1987 . At this time he was also helping a friend with his business , selling class ring s for Jostens . His college coaching career began in 1989 as the wide receivers coach at his alma mater , under first - year head coach John L . Smith . After two seasons in Moscow , Linehan coached a year at UNLV , two back at Idaho , five at Washington , and three at Louisville . He took his first NFL job as the offensive coordinator / wide receivers coach with the Minnesota Vikings in 2002 . After three seasons in Minneapolis , Linehan served in a similar capacity with the Miami Dolphins in 2005 under Nick Saban , then was hired as head coach by the St . Louis Rams on January 19 , 2006 . His tenure as the Rams ' head coach was marked by disputes ( on and off the field ) with star players such as Steven Jackson , Torry Holt , and , most notoriously , quarterback Marc Bulger , whom he benched for his final game as head coach . Linehan was fired after the fourth game of the 2008 season after an 11 - 25 record in his 36 games as head coach . On January 9 , 2009 , Linehan interviewed with the San Francisco 49ers as a candidate for the open offensive coordinator position . A second interview with the 49ers was held on January 15 , 2009 . and then declined the offer . Linehan was announced as the offensive coordinator of the Detroit Lions on January 23 , 2009 , by new head coach Jim Schwartz . Personal life . Linehan is the youngest of seven children of William and Margaret Linehan — he has three brothers and three sisters . His father Bill ( 1921 – 98 ) was born in Plummer , Idaho , and was the high school principal in Sunnyside , after serving in World War II with the U . S . Army in the Pacific . Both parents and a sister attended the University of Idaho , as did brothers Ron and Rick , who also played football at Idaho . Ron ( 1950 – 2005 ) was a three - time All - Big Sky linebacker ( 1969 – 71 ) and was selected in the 1972 NFL Draft ; he was a high school coach in the Portland area until his death at age 55 . Rick had ten career interceptions as a Vandal defensive back ( 1976 – 78 ) . Linehan and his wife of over 20 years , Kristen , have three sons : Matthew , Michael , and Marcus . He is of Irish descent and is a devout Catholic . Linehan ' s wife , is the sister - in - law of actor Jim Caviezel . She and Caviezel ' s wife , Kerri , are sisters . Coaching tree . NFL head coaches under whom Linehan has served : College head coaches under whom Linehan served : College head coaches under whom Linehan played :