Arizona Cardinals Team
Matt Feeney
Outside Linebackers
Biography
Matt Feeney is in second season with the Cardinals after being hired as outside linebackers coach on 2/12/25. He came to Arizona in 2025 after spending the prior three seasons (2022-24) with the Las Vegas Raiders.
Matt Feeney is in second season with the Cardinals after being hired as outside linebackers coach on 2/12/25. He came to Arizona in 2025 after spending the prior three seasons (2022-24) with the Las Vegas Raiders.
In his first season with the Cardinals in 2025, Feeney helped guide free agent acquisition LB Josh Sweat to a career year with 12.0 sacks, 30 tackles, 17 quarterback hits, 13 tackles for loss, two passes defensed, four forced fumbles and a fumble recovery. Sweat, who was named a Pro Bowl alternate, finished the season 8th in the NFL in sacks and tied for 2nd in the league in forced fumbles. All four of Sweat's forced fumbles came off strip sacks and he was one of just two players in the NFL with at least four strip-sacks in 2025. Sweat also set a career-high with three games of 2.0+ sacks last season. Â
During his tenure with Las Vegas, Feeney worked with outside and inside linebackers in addition to defensive backs. He was the Raiders assistant defensive backs coach in 2024 and under his guidance, S Isaiah Pola-Mao was named the AFC Defensive Player of the Week (Week 16), making him just the seventh defensive back in team history and the first since 2020 to win the award.
In 2023, the Raiders featured a defense that was 9th in the NFL for fewest points allowed per game (19.5) and 12th for fewest passing yards allowed per game (212.4). Following the promotion of Antonio Pierce to interim head coach in Week 9 of the 2023 season, Feeney was promoted to interim linebackers coach. Under his tutelage, LB Robert Spillane won his first ever AFC Defensive Player of the Week in Week 10 and set single season career-highs in tackles (148), sacks (3.5) and interceptions (3). LB Divine Deablo had a career-high 106 tackles (55 solo), the first 100+ tackle season of his career.
In his first season with the Raiders in 2022, Feeney assisted the linebackers and helped develop undrafted rookie free agent LB Luke Masterson, who finished that season ranked 3rd in the NFL in tackles (50) amongst all undrafted rookies and 2nd in team history for tackles by an undrafted rookie.
Prior to coaching with the Raiders, Feeney spent three seasons (2019-21) at the University of Akron as defensive coordinator and inside linebackers coach. Under his tutelage, LB John Lako and CB Alvin Davis Jr. received all-conference accolades in 2019. Lako earned first-team All-MAC honors after finishing the season as the team leader with 138 tackles and double-digit tackles in nine games. Davis, the Zips' top defensive back, earned All-MAC recognition for the third consecutive season after being named a first-team selection in 2018 and second-team in 2017.
Feeney went to Akron after spending two seasons (2017-18) at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga where he served as defensive coordinator in 2018 after coaching linebackers in 2017. In 2018, Feeney's defense was #1 in the Southern Conference in pass defense (172.0), scoring defense (18.5) and fumble recoveries (20). LB Isaiah Mack earned Southern Conference Defensive Player of the Year accolades after he finished second in the conference and 19th in the FCS with 8.5 sacks. A total of six players from his defensive unit earned All-Conference honors in 2018.
In 2017, the Mocs' had the top total defense (326.4 ypg) in the conference and was ranked 25th in the FCS. LB Tae Davis, who converted from safety, finished his senior season with 74 tackles over nine games and was signed by the New York Giants as an undrafted free agent.
Feeney entered the coaching ranks at his alma mater, John Carroll University, where he spent three seasons (2014-16) coaching linebackers. Throughout his tenure, the Blue Streaks defense finished each year ranked in the top-15 of all Division III schools. In his final season with the Blue Streaks in 2016, LB Mason McKenrick was an All-American selection in addition to earning first-team All-Ohio Athletic Conference honors. In 2015, LB Andy Bryan received first team All-OAC recognition and in 2014 he guided LB Kevin Cope to All-American honors and LB Jimmy King to second team all-conference accolades.
He played linebacker at John Caroll University for four seasons (2010-13) and appeared in 24 games, finishing his career with 117 tackles (46 solo), 11.5 tackles for loss, 5.5 sacks, three interceptions, five passes defensed, two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery. Feeney earned first team All-Conference honors as a senior in 2013 and was named the Gene Slaughter Most Outstanding Linebacker by the Ohio Athletic Conference. He earned his degree in Marketing in 2014.
A Dublin, OH native, Feeney and his wife, Katie, have four children.
Matt Feeney Coaching Breakdown
Year School/Team Position
2014–16 John Carroll University Linebackers
2017 UT-Chattanooga Linebackers
2018 UT-Chattanooga Defensive Coordinator
2019–21 University of Akron Defensive Coordinator/Inside Linebackers
2022–23 Las Vegas Raiders Defensive Quality Control
2024 Las Vegas Raiders Asst. Defensive Backs
2025– ARIZONA CARDINALS Outside Linebackers