Zak Kuhr (pronounced COOR) is in his first season as a Giants defensive assistant and his fourth in the NFL.
Kuhr spent the previous four seasons with the Tennessee Titans, the first as a quality control coach and the last three as an inside linebackers assistant.
In 2023, right inside linebacker Azeez Al Shaair participated in more than 97% of the Titans' defensive plays and led the team with 163 tackles – the NFL's fifth-highest total and 71 more than his closest teammate – including 78 solo stops.
The previous season, five different players started multiple games at inside linebacker: Zach Cunningham, David Long Jr., Dylan Cole, Monty Rice and rookie Jack Gibbens. The unit helped the Titans finish first in the NFL in rushing defense (76.9 yards-per-game). In 2021, the rotation at inside linebacker included Rashaan Evans, Jayon Brown, Long Jr. and Cunningham. The quartet accounted for 212 total tackles and five interceptions.
Prior to joining the Titans, Kuhr spent the 2019 season at the University of Texas. Kuhr spent two seasons (2017-18) at Texas State (2017-18). In his first season with the Bobcats, he was the co-offensive coordinator and running backs coach. He was promoted to assistant head coach/offensive coordinator/running backs coach for the 2018 season.
Kuhr had a one-year stop in 2016 at Rutgers, where he was the Scarlet Knights' running backs coach.
After spending 2013 as a graduate assistant at Old Dominion, where he worked with the running backs and special teams, Kuhr completed two campaigns (2014-15) on the coaching staff at James Madison. He served as the co-offensive coordinator and running backs coach for the Dukes in 2015 after being hired as running backs coach the previous year. In 2015, James Madison finished with a 9-3 record, advanced to the second round of the FCS playoffs, leading the country in third-down efficiency (54%) while ranking second in scoring offense (44.3 points a game) and third in total offense (528.8 yards a game).
Kuhr was an intern in 2011-12 at Ohio State, working with the running backs and special teams units.
A native of Jacksonville, Fla., Kuhr launched his coaching career as an assistant coach at Mandarin High School and Westside High School, where he served as offensive coordinator. He then spent two seasons (2009-10) as quarterbacks/running backs coach and special teams coordinator at Edward Waters College.
Kuhr earned his bachelor's degree in sports management at Florida in 2013.
2009-10……………..Edward Waters College………..quarterbacks/running backs/special teams
2011-12……………...Ohio State University………….intern
2013……………Old Dominion University…running backs/asst. special teams/graduate assistant
2014………………..James Madison University……..running backs
2015………………..James Madison University……co-offensive coordinator/running backs
2016………………..Rutgers University……………..running backs
2017………………..Texas State University…………co-offensive coordinator/running backs
2018………………..Texas State University…………assistant head coach/co-offensive coordinator/running backs
2019………………..University of Texas…………….assistant coach
2020………………..Tennessee Titans……………….quality control
2021-23…………….Tennessee Titans……………….assistant inside linebackers
2024………………..New York Giants……………….defensive assistant
