John Levra Biography

John Levra spent 44 years of his life coaching football at several levels. He coached for seven years in high school and 14 years at the college level. The last 23 years saw Levra in the pros with one year in the Canadian Football League and the balance in the National Football League.

Levra coached the Buffalo Bills defensive line under Wade Phillips from 1998 through the the 2000 season and Greg Williams in 2001-2002 his final two seasons.

Levra's defensive unit finished in the top ten NFL defenses in his five years on the job and were ranked No. 1 in 1999.

Prior to Buffalo he was the Defensive Line Coach under Denny Green in Minnesota for three seasons. The Vikings were 4th in the NFL in 95' in sacks and total run defense, they made the playoffs that season.

Levra was the Offensive Line Coach in Denver for the 93' & 94' seasons, again under Wade Phillips. The Broncos had high-ranking offenses in both seasons.

Prior to Denver. He was in Chicago, as the Defensives Line Coach with the Bears and Mike Ditka for 7 seasons. The Bears were ranked number one in the NFL in sacks in both 1986 and 1987, allowed a record low 187 points in 1986, the record at the time, earned 4 division titles and went to 5 playoff games. Levra capped the 88' season by coaching in the Pro Bowl.

Levra cut his teeth in the NFL under Bum Phillips in New Orleans where he was the Saints Running Backs Coach for five seasons. His first season in the NFL the Saints picked the incomparable former South Carolina Gamecock and Heisman Trophy winner George Rogers #1 overall in the 1981 NFL draft. All Rogers did that year, his rookie season was set the NFL rookie record for rushing yards in a season with 1674 yards, a record still good today for 2nd place on the all-time list.

Levra's defensive coaching prowess was well known and through the years he was much in demand. His last Buffalo defensive unit finished ranked sixth in the NFL against the rush and fourth against the pass.

In 2004 John Levra was honered by his alma mater Pittsburg State University in Pittsburg Kansas with the 2004 Meritorious Achievement Award, the highest award the university and the Pittsburg State Alumni Association give. Said Director of Alumni Relations, Mindi Cloninger: "It is for those who have been out of school at least 25 years and is based on career achievement, professional growth and advancement."

In receiving the award Levra said: "I feel very honored, very lucky and somewhat surprised to receive an award such as this being in the profession of coaching. Most of it goes to the business world or the academic world. My main area of work was coach, so to be honored with something like this is a great feeling and I feel very fortunate."

Levra earned a BS degree in Physical Education and a Masters in Physical Education from Pittsburg State University.

Levra and his wife Rosie have two children, Craig and Gina.

Some of his accomplishments include:

44 years coaching football
22 years NFL coaching experience
14 years college coaching experience
Worked with several top rated NFL head coaches
Levra's Buffalo Bills defensive unit finished in the top ten NFL defenses in his five years there
His Buffalo Bills defense ranked No. 1 in the entire NFL in 1999
Defensives Line Coach with the Chicago Bears and Mike Ditka for 7 seasons
Bears were ranked number one in the entire NFL in sacks two years in a row
Allowed a record low 187 points in 1986, the record at the time
Bears earned 4 division titles and went to 5 playoff games
Levra has coached in the Pro Bowl
Levra was the New Orleans Saints Running Backs Coach for five seasons under Bum Phillips
Coached George Rogers Saints rookie #1 pick set the NFL rookie record for rushing yards in a season
Honered by his alma mater Pittsburg State University with the 2004 Meritorious Achievement Award
Levra earned a BS degree in Physical Education from Pittsburg State
Holds a Masters in Physical Education from Pittsburg State