| Rick Venturi | |
| Birth Date: | 23 February 1946 |
| Birth Place: | Taylorville, Illinois, U.S. |
| Player Years1: | 1965–1967 |
| Player Team1: | Northwestern |
| Player Positions: | Quarterback, defensive back |
| Coach Years1: | 1973–1976 |
| Coach Team1: | Purdue (assistant) |
| Coach Years2: | 1977 |
| Coach Team2: | Illinois (DB) |
| Coach Years3: | 1978–1980 |
| Coach Team3: | Northwestern |
| Coach Years4: | 1981 |
| Coach Team4: | Hamilton Tiger-Cats (assistant) |
| Coach Years5: | 1982–1983 |
| Coach Team5: | Baltimore Colts (LB) |
| Coach Years6: | 1984 |
| Coach Team6: | Indianapolis Colts (DC/LB) |
| Coach Years7: | 1985–1990 |
| Coach Team7: | Indianapolis Colts (LB) |
| Coach Years8: | 1991 |
| Coach Team8: | Indianapolis Colts (DC/LB/Interim HC) |
| Coach Years9: | 1992–1993 |
| Coach Team9: | Indianapolis Colts (DC) |
| Coach Years10: | 1994 |
| Coach Team10: | Cleveland Browns (DB) |
| Coach Years11: | 1995 |
| Coach Team11: | Cleveland Browns (DC) |
| Coach Years12: | 1996 |
| Coach Team12: | New Orleans Saints (LB/Interim HC) |
| Coach Years13: | 1997 |
| Coach Team13: | New Orleans Saints (Ast. HC/LB) |
| Coach Years14: | 1998 |
| Coach Team14: | New Orleans Saints (Ast. HC/DB) |
| Coach Years15: | 1999 |
| Coach Team15: | New Orleans Saints (Ast. HC/LB) |
| Coach Years16: | 2000–2001 |
| Coach Team16: | New Orleans Saints (Ast. HC/DB) |
| Coach Years17: | 2002–2005 |
| Coach Team17: | New Orleans Saints (DC) |
| Coach Years18: | 2006–2007 |
| Coach Team18: | St. Louis Rams (Ast. HC/LB) |
| Coach Years19: | 2008 |
| Coach Team19: | St. Louis Rams (Ast. HC/LB/DC) |
| Overall Record: | 1–31–1 (college) 2–17 (NFL) |
Rick Venturi (born February 23, 1946) is a former American football player, coach, and current broadcaster. He served as the head coach at Northwestern University and as longtime National Football League (NFL) assistant coach known for his defense.
Rick Venturi was born February 23, 1946, in Taylorville, Illinois.
Venturi played quarterback at Rockford Auburn High School in Illinois as a sophomore and junior, and then at Pekin High School for his senior year.
Following graduation he enrolled at Northwestern University in Chicago, where he was a member of the Delta Upsilon fraternity.
Alumnus Venturi was hired by Northwestern on December 1, 1977,[1] [2] succeeding John Pont, who had announced relinquishing his coaching duties seventeen days prior on November 14 while remaining as the university's athletic director.[3]
Both Pont and Venturi were dismissed on November 18, 1980, after the Wildcats went in three seasons, ending with twenty consecutive losses.[4] The losing streak lasted a NCAA Division I-record 34 games, finally broken in 1982.[5] Additionally, all but one of the black players on the football team had protested against the unequal treatment of African-American student athletes within the program.[6]
Venturi was succeeded by Dennis Green one month later on December 23.[7]
After leaving Northwestern, Venturi spent twelve years as an assistant with the Indianapolis Colts, beginning in 1982 when the team was still located in Baltimore. He would eventually rise to defensive coordinator. He also served as defensive coordinator of the Cleveland Browns, New Orleans Saints, and St. Louis Rams.
Venturi also served as interim head coach of the Colts in 1991 and the Saints in 1996, with a career record of .
He now serves as the analyst on the Colts Radio Network.[8]
Venturi married the former Cheri Rotello of Rockford, Illinois, with whom he had two children, a boy and a girl.[9]
His late father, Joe Venturi, is a member of the Illinois High School Football Coaches Hall of Fame. Joe coached at Pekin High School in Illinois. His brother, John is also a member of the Illinois High School Football Coaches Hall of Fame. John coached at Washington High School where he won the 1985 Class 4A State Championship. John's 1983 Washington team was the 4A Runner-Up.
| Team | Year | Regular Season | Postseason | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Won | Lost | Ties | Win % | Finish | Won | Lost | Win % | Result | |||
| IND | 1991 | 1 | 10 | 0 | 5th in AFC East | – | – | – | – | ||
| IND Total | 1 | 10 | 0 | – | – | – | |||||
| NO | 1996 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 5th in NFC West | – | – | – | – | ||
| NO Total | 1 | 7 | 0 | – | – | – | |||||
| Total | 2 | 17 | 0 | ||||||||