Adam Gristick

Adam Gristick is an American football coach who serves as the assistant linebackers coach for the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League (NFL). He previously served as an assistant coach with the Eastern Illinois Panthers, Syracuse Orange, and Missouri State Bears.

Playing career Gristick played college football as a linebacker for the Eastern Illinois Panthers. After redshirting his first season, he played four seasons in which he recorded 191 career tackles and three interceptions. Prior to his redshirt senior season, Gristick was named team captain. During his time at Eastern Illinois, Gristick helped the Panthers to back-to-back Ohio Valley Conference championships and FCS playoff appearances in 2012-13.

Coaching career

Early coaching career After graduating from Eastern Illinois, Gristick began his coaching career at Missouri State as a defensive quality control assistant in 2015. His duties for the Bears included analyzing the passing tendencies of opponents in addition to other film work. In 2016, Gristick was hired by Syracuse as a defensive quality control coach before working as a graduate assistant the following season. In June 2018, Gristick was hired by his alma mater, Eastern Illinois, as linebackers coach and was promoted to defensive run game coordinator in 2020. In 2022, he was promoted to defensive coordinator. As a defensive assistant, his responsibilities included producing self-scout breakdown reports, compilation of scouting reports, breakdown of Saints opponents, the organization of playbooks, and assisting the linebackers coach with the position group during practice. In 2025, Gristick was promoted to assistant linebackers coach on Kellen Moore's staff.

Personal life In 2015, Gristick graduated with a bachelor's degree in exercise science.