Justin Rascati is in his sixth season as an NFL coach, and first with Cincinnati. He joined the Bengals' staff in 2024 as pass game coordinator.
Rascati came to Cincinnati from the Minnesota Vikings, where he served as assistant offensive line coach from 2022-23. In 2023, Minnesota dealt with a wave of injuries that were headlined by four different QBs starting at least two games. Still, Rascati worked with an offensive line that helped the Vikings total 4359 net passing yards, the fifth most in the NFL. The line also paved the way for fifth-year RB Alexander Mattison (700) and second-year RB Ty Chandler (461) as they each recorded a career high in rushing yards.
In 2022, Rascati helped oversee an offensive line that pass protected for QB Kirk Cousins, who set a single-season team record for passing attempts (698) and ranked second in team history both in completions (424) and passing yards (4,547). The O-line also opened holes for RB Dalvin Cook's fourth consecutive 1000-yard rushing season. With Rascati on staff, the Vikings won 13 games — their most since 2017 — and clinched an NFC North Division title.
Prior to his stint in Minnesota, Rascati spent three seasons (2019-21) as an offensive quality control coach with the Denver Broncos. He spent his first two years primarily assisting Broncos offensive line coach Mike Munchak, then transitioned to work closely with the team's QBs in 2021. That season, he helped veteran QB Teddy Bridgewater post the second-highest passer rating of his career (94.9), with 3052 passing yards and 18 TDs.
In 2020, the Broncos' O-line featured five different starting lineups, but steadily improved as the year progressed and allowed the NFL's fourth-fewest sacks (19) over the final 14 weeks of the regular season. Rascati worked with OT Garett Bolles, who started 15 games and earned second-team All-Pro honors for the first time in his career.
In 2019, Rascati's first season with the Vikings, he helped guide an offensive line that opened holes for RB Phillip Lindsay's 1011 rushing yards and seven rushing TDs.
Rascati made the jump to the NFL after seven years in the college coaching ranks. From 2017-18, he served as offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach at the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga, where he helped the Mocs to a three-win improvement from '17 to '18. He spent the 2016 season as offensive coordinator at Tennessee Tech University, after serving as WRs coach and passing game coordinator at the University of Tennessee-Martin from '14-15.
Rascati's first college coaching job came at Weber State University in Ogden, Utah, where he coached quarterbacks from 2012-13. He broke into coaching as offensive coordinator at Kentucky Country Day School in Louisville, Ky., from 2010-11.
As a player, Rascati began his college career at Louisville (2003) before transferring to James Madison University for his final three seasons ('04-06). He passed for 5912 yards and 51 TDs in his JMU career, and led the Dukes to a 13-2 record and the program's first FCS national championship in 2004. He went on to play two seasons in the AF2 (Arena Football League developmental league), spending the 2008 season with the Peoria Pirates in Peoria, Ill., and the '09 campaign with the Lexington Horsemen (later known as Kentucky Horsemen).
Rascati was born in Gainesville, Fla., on Feb. 8, 1984. He finished his prep career at Buchholz High School in Gainesville as the school's all-time leader in career passing yards (5033) and TD passes (45). He graduated from James Madison in 2007. He and his wife, Jennifer, have three sons — Rhett, Rhys and Riley.
Playing and coaching history: 2002-03—Played QB at Louisville. 2004-06—Played QB at James Madison. 2008—Played QB with Peoria Pirates (Arena Football Developmental League). 2009—Played QB with Lexington Horsemen (AF2). 2010-11—Assistant coach (AC) in Kentucky high school ranks. 2012-13—AC, Weber State. 2014-15—AC, Tennessee-Martin. 2016—AC, Tennessee Tech. 2017-18—AC, Tennessee-Chattanooga. 2019-21—AC, Denver Broncos. 2022-23—AC, Minnesota Vikings. 2024—AC, Cincinnati Bengals.
