Kevin MacConnell is in his fourth season back at Rutgers as the football chief of staff. MacConnell spent more than 25 years in his previous stint with Rutgers Athletics, last serving as the department’s deputy director of athletics.
For the previous six years before returning, MacConnell helped create and oversee the Sports Division for Academy Bus, the largest bus provider of collegiate and professional sports teams in the country.
MacConnell has over 35 years of experience in college and professional sports, most recently serving as the director of football operations for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers under head coach Greg Schiano. In that role he handled many of the day-to-day activities for the NFL club and served as the liaison between football and non-football departments. In addition, he managed several elements of Schiano’s off-field agenda, including player and staff communications, football and stadium operations, scheduling and personal requests.
Prior to his time in the NFL, MacConnell oversaw various roles at Rutgers, assisting with public and community relations, marketing, promotions, corporate sponsorship, fundraising, ticket sales, event management and operations, team travel, radio and television. In his first post at Rutgers, MacConnell was the director of sports media relations before taking on the role of assistant athletic director of marketing and communications, followed by associate athletic director for external affairs. He was promoted to deputy director of athletics, a role that he held for his final seven years at Rutgers.
MacConnell began his career in the National Basketball Association as assistant public relations director of the New Jersey Nets. From there, he became director of public relations for the USFL’s New Jersey Generals before starting his college athletics career as director of media relations for the Atlantic 10 Conference.
MacConnell and his wife, Debbie, have a son, Kevin. He also has a son, Brett, who currently serves as the associate head coach and recruiting coordinator on the Princeton men’s basketball staff.
