Randy Fichtner is a quarterbacks coach for the National Football League

National Football League

The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...

's Pittsburgh Steelers

Pittsburgh Steelers

The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...

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Early years

Fichtner, a native of Cleveland, Ohio, was a standout football player at Meadville Area Senior High School

Meadville Area Senior High School

Meadville Area Senior High School is a public school located within the city of Meadville, Pennsylvania. Situated at 930 North Street Ext., the high school serves the city of Meadville, West Mead Township, Pennsylvania, Vernon Township, Pennsylvania and is part of the Crawford Central School...

. He chose to attend Purdue University

Purdue University

Purdue University, located in West Lafayette, Indiana, U.S., is the flagship university of the six-campus Purdue University system. Purdue was founded on May 6, 1869, as a land-grant university when the Indiana General Assembly, taking advantage of the Morrill Act, accepted a donation of land and...

, playing defensive back for the Boilermakers

Purdue Boilermakers football

The Purdue Boilermakers football team is the intercollegiate football program of the Purdue University Boilermakers. The program is classified in the NCAA's Division I Bowl Subdivision, and the team competes in the Big Ten Conference. The Boilermakers have an all-time record of...

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Coaching career

Fichtner began his coaching career as a graduate assistant, serving with Michigan

Michigan Wolverines football

The Michigan Wolverines football program represents the University of Michigan in college football at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level. Michigan has the most all-time wins and the highest winning percentage in college football history...

, USC, UNLV

UNLV Rebels football

The UNLV Rebels football program is a college football team that represents the University of Nevada, Las Vegas . The team is currently a member of the Mountain West Conference, which is a Division I Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletics Association...

, and Memphis

Memphis Tigers football

The Memphis Tigers football team represents the University of Memphis in college football at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level. The Tigers compete in Conference USA...

 from 1986–1987, 1988, 1989, and 1990–1993 respectively. He earned the position of wide receivers coach and recruiting director at Purdue in 1994, serving for two years before moving to Arkansas State to become the offensive coordinator from 1997–2001. Under Fichtner's tutelage, current CFL

Canadian Football League

The Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football....

 quarterback Cleo Lemon

Cleo Lemon

Cleo "Cleonardo" Lemon, Jr. is a Canadian football quarterback in the Canadian Football League who is currently a free agent. He most recently played for the Toronto Argonauts. He was signed by the Baltimore Ravens as an undrafted free agent in 2002...

 flourished, setting numerous school records for passing and total offense. Fichtner returned to Memphis in 2001 to serve as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, instituting a new, highly effective spread offense that set school records for total offense. The new system allowed the teams to amass prolific offensive statistics, totalling over 5000 yards in both 2003 and 2004 to rank in the top ten for both yardage and scoring, as well as supporting the development of quarterback Danny Wimprine and running back DeAngelo Williams

DeAngelo Williams

DeAngelo Williams is an American football running back for the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League. Williams was drafted by the Panthers 27th overall in the 2006 NFL Draft...

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Fichtner's NFL coaching debut began in 2007, serving as wide receivers coach for the Pittsburgh Steelers

Pittsburgh Steelers

The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...

 as part of new head coach Mike Tomlin

Mike Tomlin

Michael Tomlin is the current head coach for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League. Tomlin is the third youngest head coach in any of the four major North American professional sports. He is the tenth African-American head coach in NFL history, and first in Steelers history...

's regime, replacing the promoted Bruce Arians

Bruce Arians

Bruce Arians is the offensive coordinator for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Prior to holding this position, Arians served as the wide receivers coach for the Steelers, a position that he held with the team since the 2004 season...

. He was instrumental in the development of the Steelers young wide receiver corps, mentoring Santonio Holmes

Santonio Holmes

Santonio Holmes Jr. is an American football wide receiver for the New York Jets of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the first round of the 2006 NFL Draft after playing college football at Ohio State...

 to multiple 1000-yard seasons and a Super Bowl MVP award as well as supporting the growth of emerging wideouts Mike Wallace

Mike Wallace (American football)

-Pittsburgh Steelers:Wallace was selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the third round of the 2009 NFL Draft with the 84th overall selection. Wallace was the 11th wide receiver chosen in the draft. On June 18, 2009, Wallace signed a three year contract with the Steelers worth $1.740 million which...

, Emmanuel Sanders

Emmanuel Sanders

Emmanuel Sanders is an American football wide receiver for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Steelers in the third round of the 2010 NFL Draft...

, and Antonio Brown. In 2010, Fichtner became the Pittsburgh Steelers quarterbacks coach, replacing Ken Anderson after Anderson's retirement.

Personal

Fichtner and his wife Jennifer have three children: a son, Nathaniel Ross, and two daughters, Shelby Brooke and Kirby Lynn.