Mike Siravo is in second season with the Minnesota Vikings as inside linebackers coach and fifth season in the NFL in 2024, after spending two seasons as the senior defensive assistant/linebackers coach and one season as the linebacker coach with the Carolina Panthers. He brings 24 total years of coaching experience, both collegiately and professionally, to Head Coach Kevin O'Connell's staff.
In his first season in Minnesota, Siravo helped the Viking's defense improve from 31st overall in 2022 to 16th in 2023. His linebacking core contributed to Minnesota leading the NFL in forced fumbles with 21, three more than any other team in the league, and helped the team post eight games with at least one forced fumble and one interception, which tied for the second most in the league in 2023, trailing only the Cleveland Browns (nine).
Under Siravo's guidance, undrafted rookie LB Ivan Pace Jr., helped anchor the Vikings defense in 2023, starting 11 of the 17 games in which he appeared, and assuming green dot duties in Weeks 11-15 in the absence of veteran LB Jordan Hicks. Pace Jr., led all rookies in tackles in 2023 (102) and is just the third undrafted rookie in NFL history since 1987 to tally at least 100 tackles, joining Vontaze Burfict (2012) and Paul Worrilow (2013).
Siravo also oversaw a nine-year veteran linebacker in Hicks, who, despite spending four games on Reserve/Injured, tallied the third most tackles among all Vikings defenders in 2023 with 107. It marked his fifth-straight season with at least 100 tackles. Both Hicks (Week 6, at Chicago) and Pace Jr., (Week 14, at Las Vegas) were named NFC Defensive Players of the Week during Siravo's inaugural season in Minnesota.Â
With the Panthers in 2022, Siravo served as the defensive run game coordinator during and coached a run defense that finished 12th in the NFL in rushing average (4.27), fourth in total tackles (1,078) and ninth in tackles for loss (88). Under Siravo, LB Frankie Luvu recorded 19 tackles for loss, tied for the second-most in the NFL.
In 2021, Siravo served as the senior defensive assistant/linebackers coach and helped Carolina finish second in the league in total defense, holding their opponents to only 305.9 yards per game. Under Siravo's guidance, LB Shaq Thompson finished the season with 104 tackles, making him the eighth player in franchise history to eclipse 100 tackles in three consecutive seasons. LB Jermaine Carter Jr., also posted a career-high 88 total tackles.
During Siravo's first season with Carolina, Thompson posted his second-consecutive season with over 100 tackles (114), becoming the fifth Panther since 2000 with back-to-back seasons of 100-plus tackles. As a whole, Carolina's linebackers accounted for 344 tackles, ranking 10th in the NFL.
Prior to coaching with Carolina, Siravo spent three years (2017-19) as Baylor's linebackers coach and special teams coordinator. During the 2019 campaign at Baylor, Siravo's linebacking core helped anchor a defense that finished second in turnovers gained (30), third in interceptions (17), eighth in sacks per game (3.31), and fifth in turnover margin (1.08). Under Siravo's teaching, Baylor placed two linebackers on the All-Big 12 Second-Team Defense.
Siravo served his final four seasons at Temple coaching the linebackers. He previously spent one season (2006) at Temple under then-head coach Al Golden as recruiting coordinator and linebackers coach. He coached linebackers for the Owls and served as defensive run coordinator and recruiting coordinator during the AAC-championship season in 2016. Linebackers Avery Williams and Stephaun Marshall both earned 2016 All-AAC honors and Siravo was named the 2016 National Linebackers Coach of the Year by FootballScoop. Siravo coached two-time All-American and 2015 Bednarik Award and Nagurski Trophy winner Tyler Matakevich, who also won AAC Defensive Player of the Year honors.
Prior to returning to Temple, Siravo coached six years (2007-12) at Boston College as defensive backs coach and recruiting coordinator. He coached a secondary that helped three B.C. defenses rank in the top-10 nationally in interceptions: 2007 (second, 25), 2008 (first, 26) and 2010 (eighth, 20). In 2007, Siravo was part of a staff that led Boston College to an 11-3 record and No. 10 final AP ranking. The Eagles ranked second nationally with 25 interceptions. He mentored free safety Jamie Silva, a consensus All-American and Jim Thorpe Award finalist. He also coached linebackers and served as recruiting coordinator at Columbia from 2003-05.
Siravo began his career as a graduate assistant at Boston College from 1998-2000. The former walk-on earned a scholarship and lettered two years at linebacker under head coaches Dan Henning and Tom O'Brien. He earned Academic All-Big East honors as a senior.
The Pawtucket, R.I., native, Siravo earned a bachelor's degree in history from Boston College in 1998. He also earned a master's degree from his alma mater in administrative studies of business in 2000. He and his wife, Alison, are the parents of their three children, William, Evelyn and Henry.
