Bobby April III
American football coach
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Robert April III is an American football coach who is the outside linebackers coach for Buffalo Bills of the National Football League (NFL).
| Buffalo Bills | |
|---|---|
| Title | Outside linebackers coach |
| Personal information | |
| Born | Tucson, Arizona, U.S. |
| Career information | |
| High school | St. Paul's (LA) |
| College | Louisiana–Lafayette |
| Career history | |
| |
Coaching career
College career
April III began his coaching career in 2004 as a student assistant for the Louisiana–Lafayette Ragin' Cajuns.[1] He then became a graduate assistant for the Tulane Green Wave from 2005 to 2006.[1] In 2007, April III became the special teams coordinator and inside linebackers coach for the Portland State Vikings through 2009.[2] In 2010, he was special teams coordinator and safeties coach for the Nicholls State Colonels.[3][4]
In 2018, April III returned to college football as outside linebackers coach / co-defensive coordinator for the Wisconsin Badgers.[1][2] He became the defensive coordinator for Stanford Cardinal in 2023, in addition to his duties as the outside linebackers coach.[5]
Professional career
April III was defensive quality control coach for the Philadelphia Eagles from 2011 to 2012.[6][7] In 2013, April III moved to the New York Jets as defensive quality control coach and assistant linebacker coach.[7] In 2014, he was promoted to linebackers coach with the Jets.[8] In 2015, April III moved with Rex Ryan from the Jets to the Buffalo Bills and continued to serve as linebackers coach through 2016.[6][9]
On February 1, 2026, April III returned to the Buffalo Bills as the team's new outside linebackers coach, under head coach Joe Brady. April III had accepted a position to be the defensive ends coach with Minnesota in the college ranks only a month earlier.[10]
Personal life
April earned his bachelor's degree in sports management from Louisiana-Lafayette.[7] He is the son of Bobby April Jr., a former NFL and college special teams coordinator.[7]