Dundee graduate Ted Rath begins 17th NFL season with new team
NEW ORLEANS – Ted Rath is learning a new language for his fifth stop during a 17-year career in the National Football League.
The Dundee graduate recently was hired as director of sports performance for the New Orleans Saints.
“I’ve been down here for several games with the visiting team,” Rath said of asked of his experience with New Orleans. “I’m still getting used to hearing ‘y’all.’”
Rath is busy learning a new city and team, but there is at least one familiar face at work. He was lured to the Saints by new head coach Kellen Moore.
“He was a backup to Matthew Stafford when I was with the Lions,” Rath said.
The two developed a close bond then.
“One hundred percent,” Rath said when asked if he saw Moore as a future coach during his playing days. “I don’t think he lost a single game in high school and he was the first to win 50 games as a college quarterback at Boise State. He knows how to win.”
Rath was excited when Moore asked him to join his staff in New Orleans, but didn’t accept immediately.
“Honestly, it was a family decision,” he said. “I talked it over with my kids – Brooklyn (11), Brady (9) and Emmy (7). I said I would miss out on spending time with them and coaching them, but they all said, ‘Let’s go.’”
Rath and his wife Robin don't plan to relocate their family again anytime soon.
“We have an awesome GM here, Mickey Loomis,” he said. “I told him, ‘I want to get my kids through high school, so I am committed here. Let’s go win some games.”
Rath, 41, became an All-Mid-American Conference linebacker at Toledo after graduating from Dundee in 2003. He was an assistant coach at Dearborn Heights Crestwood in 2006-07, then returned to Toledo for two seasons as a strength and conditioning coach.
New coach Jim Schwartz hired him as an assistant with the Detroit Lions in 2009 and he stayed on under Jim Caldwell until 2015.
From there, Rath went to Miami Dolphins in 2016 and the Los Angeles Rams from 2017-19.
He became director of sports performance for the Philadelphia Eagles in 2020.
Rath left the Eagles following the 2023 season and wrote a book entitled “Beyond Comfort: Mastering a Growth Mindset with Excellence Through Urgency.”
“I stepped away from the Eagles in June, wrote a book and transitioned into a new role and was coaching my kids,” he said.
He might have left the Eagles a year too early. The team soared to a Super Bowl title last season.
“I am really happy for them, especially the older guys I coached like Brandon Graham,” he said. “I knew they would be a good team. (Defensive coordinator) Vic Fangio was such an asset on that side of the ball and Kellen brought in a great offense.”
He was living just outside of Philadelphia with his family when he got the call from Moore about joining his staff in New Orleans.
“When you get a job, there is usually a reason why it is open,” Rath said. “It will be a challenge, but Kellen will build it up right away with faith, family and football. He has a phenomenal football mind and is a better person.”
Rath’s primary duties will be attending to the physical and nutritional needs of the players. He will be involved with travel logistics to help minimize the fatigue of the players.
He recently travelled with team officials to the NFL Combine in Indianapolis to help evaluate potential draft choices.
He already has met with many of the current Saints.
“Fortunately, when you are in a warm-weather city, a lot of the players don’t want to travel,” he said. “They stay there. I’ve met with 15 or 20 of them.”
Strangely, he has never worked with any of the current New Orleans players.
“Actually, when I went through the roster for the first time, I was surprised that there were none,” Rath said. “This is my 17th year in the NFL, so that’s kind of odd.”
Even with all of the travels in the NFL, Rath has not forgotten his Dundee ties.
“I try to get back at least once a year,” he said. “I was back this year at Thanksgiving since I had left the Eagles. That’s the first time I’ve been able to do that. I’ve always been with a team.”
He took advantage of the trip to visit Dundee’s new football stadium.
“It is beautiful, phenomenal,” he said.
And he still has ties to Viking athletics.
“My Goddaughter (Natalie Rath) is on the girls basketball team,” he said.
This article originally appeared on The Monroe News: Dundee graduate Ted Rath begins 17th NFL season with new team
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