Freddie Kitchens, former NFL head coach, hired to South Carolina football staff

Shane Beamer has added a coach with significant NFL experience to his coaching staff at South Carolina.

The Gamecocks announced Wednesday they’re hiring former Cleveland Browns head coach Freddie Kitchens as a senior football analyst. Beamer and Kitchens have extensive ties, dating back to their time working together at Mississippi State.

“I worked with Freddie Kitchens previously at Mississippi State and have known him for close to 20 years,” Beamer said in the school’s official release. “He’s a fantastic coach with head coaching experience and coordinator experience. He’s a long-time NFL coach who will be a great asset and resource for our program and will help us in so many ways.”

Kitchens has worked in the NFL since 2006, serving as Browns head coach in 2019 and most recently coaching on former New York Giants coach Joe Judge’s staff. Kitchens served as tight ends coach in 2020 and was interim offensive coordinator during the 2021 season.

With the move Kitchens reunites with Jody Wright, USC’s new tight ends coach, who coached with Kitchens in Cleveland and New York. The addition of Kitchens also gives the Gamecocks another NFL offensive mind to go along with second-year offensive coordinator Marcus Satterfield, who coached under Joe Brady with the Carolina Panthers before coming to South Carolina.

In 2004 and 2005, Kitchens coached tight ends and running backs under Sylvester Croom at Mississippi State, while Beamer coached cornerbacks and was the team’s recruiting coordinator.

Kitchens hasn’t coached in the college ranks since 2005. He started in the NFL as a tight ends coach on Bill Parcells’ staff with the Dallas Cowboys, then spent 11 years working in various offensive roles with the Arizona Cardinals before landing with the Browns.