Adam Gristick

Gristick played college football as a linebacker for the Eastern Illinois Panthers. After redshirting his first season, he played four seasons in which he recorded 191 career tackles and three interceptions.^[1] Prior to his redshirt senior season, Gristick was named team captain.^[2] During his time at Eastern Illinois, Gristick helped the Panthers to back-to-back Ohio Valley Conference championships and FCS playoff appearances in 2012-13.^[3]

Early coaching career

After graduating from Eastern Illinois, Gristick began his coaching career at Missouri State as a defensive quality control assistant in 2015.^[4] His duties for the Bears included analyzing the passing tendencies of opponents in addition to other film work.^[5] In 2016, Gristick was hired by Syracuse as a defensive quality control coach before working as a graduate assistant the following season. In June 2018, Gristick was hired by his alma mater, Eastern Illinois, as linebackers coach and was promoted to defensive run game coordinator in 2020.^[6] During these years, he coached first team All-American linebacker Jason Johnson and second team All-OVC linebacker Dytarious Johnson.^[7] In 2022, he was promoted to defensive coordinator.^[6]

New Orleans Saints

In 2023, Gristick was hired as a defensive assistant by the New Orleans Saints.^[8] As a defensive assistant, his responsibilities included producing self-scout breakdown reports, compilation of scouting reports, breakdown of Saints opponents, the organization of playbooks, and assisting the linebackers coach with the position group during practice.^[9] In 2025, Gristick was promoted to assistant linebackers coach on Kellen Moore's staff.^[10]

In 2015, Gristick graduated with a bachelor's degree in exercise science.^[6]