Zach Azzanni is in his second season as the Steelers' wide receivers coach in 2025.
Azzanni mentored the breakout of third-year wideout Calvin Austin III in 2024. Austin III finished the season with 36 receptions for 548 yards and four TDs, averaging 15.2 yards/catch and showing he could be a big-play contributor. Austin also served as the team's punt returner and ranked seventh in the NFL with a 10.3-yard average.
Azzanni has coached wide receivers for 27 years, spending the last seven seasons coaching that group with N.Y. Jets (2023), Denver Broncos (2018-22) and Chicago Bears (2017), following 18 years at the collegiate level.
In 2023, wide receiver Garrett Wilson surpassed 1,000 receiving yards, making him the first wideout in Jets history to record 1,000 yards receiving in each of his first two seasons. He became just the 16th player in NFL history to record back-to-back 1,000+ yard seasons to open their career. Wilson was the first receiver in franchise history to record back-to-back 1,000+ yard seasons since Keyshawn Johnson in 1998-99.
Wilson recorded the most receptions through a wide receivers first two seasons (178) in Jets history, which also ranks eighth in NFL history. He was the third receiver in franchise history to record 80+ receptions in back-to-back seasons and ninth player in NFL history to record 80+ receptions in each of his first two seasons.
In 2021, seven different Broncos wide receivers caught at least one pass and totaled 171 catches for 2,257 yards (13.2 avg.) with eight TDs.
In 2020, Azzanni coached one of the youngest position groups in the NFL after Pro Bowl wide receiver Courtland Sutton suffered a season-ending injury in Week 2. First-round pick Jerry Jeudy caught 52 passes for 856 yards (16.5 avg.) with three TDs – the second-most receptions (52) and receiving yards (856) ever by a Denver rookie – while second rounder KJ Hamler caught 30 passes for 381 yards (12.7 avg.) with three TDs in limited action.
Undrafted wide receiver Tim Patrick developed into a full-time starter in his four seasons working with Azzanni. Patrick led the team in 2020 with six TDs on 51 catches for 742 yards (14.5 avg.) and was the only NFL player with at least 75 targets and zero drops.
In 2019, Azzanni coached Sutton to his first career Pro Bowl selection in just his second season after leading the team with 72 receptions for 1,112 yards with six TDs. Sutton, who recorded the most receiving yards (1,816) and receiving TDs (10) in Broncos history through his first two NFL seasons, became the first receiver in franchise history to be named to the Pro Bowl by his second year.
Denver's receiver group in 2018 featured little NFL experience behind veterans Demaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders, who only played eight and 12 games, respectively, because of trade (Thomas) or injury (Sanders).
Azzanni was instrumental in developing first-year receivers Sutton (42-704, 4 TDs), DaeSean Hamilton (30-243, 2 TDs) and Patrick (23-315, 1 TD), who combined for 95 receptions for 1,262 yards (13.3 avg.) with seven TDs. Sutton's 704 receiving yards ranked fourth in franchise history for a rookie as he became the team's No. 1 receiving option during the last four weeks of the season.
Before his lone season coaching wide receivers for the Bears (2017), Azzanni spent four years at the University of Tennessee. He joined the Vols as wide receivers coach/recruiting coordinator in 2013 before being promoted to passing game coordinator/wide receivers coach in 2015.
Tennessee went to three consecutive bowl games (2014-16), winning each contest while averaging nearly 43 points/game. The Vols' passing attack in 2016, which featured six different players with at least 200 yards receiving, helped set school records for single-season points (473) and TDs (63).
Azzanni spent one season each at the University of Wisconsin (2012 – wide receivers coach), Western Kentucky University (2011 – offensive coordinator/wide receivers) and the University of Florida (2010 – wide receivers/passing game coordinator).
Azzanni coached in three bowl games at Florida and Wisconsin, including two BCS Bowls, and won the Big Ten Championship in 2012. In his lone season at Western Kentucky, the Hilltoppers featured college football's second-leading rusher in Bobby Rainey (141.3 ypg.) while Jack Doyle ranked fifth in the nation among tight ends with 614 receiving yards.
Hired prior to the 2010 Sugar Bowl, Azzanni's first game with the Gators saw quarterback Tim Tebow throw for a career-high 482 yards in the Gators' 51-24 win over Cincinnati.
Azzanni spent three years as assistant head coach/wide receivers at his alma mater, Central Michigan University, from (2007-09), and won a pair of Mid-American Conference Championships. He was the lead recruiter for wide receiver Antonio Brown and tackle Eric Fisher, who was the 2013 NFL Draft No. 1 overall pick by Kansas City.
After beginning his coaching career as wide receivers coach for Valparaiso University (1999-2000), Azzanni worked as a graduate assistant under Head Coach Urban Meyer at Bowling Green (2001-02). He stayed with the school for four more seasons (2003-06) as wide receivers coach.
A former wide receiver at Central Michigan (1994-98), Azzanni graduated from the school with a degree in sports management in 1999.
Smith and his wife, Julia, have four daughters, Ava, Lyla, Zia and Lucia.
