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DALLAS COWBOYS ANNOUNCE HIRING OF BRETT MAXIE
TO FINALIZE 2008 COACHING STAFF

The Dallas Cowboys finalized their coaching staff for the 2008 season Tuesday, announcing the hiring of Brett Maxie. Maxie will work alongside Dave Campo in coaching the secondary. His specific personnel responsibilities within the secondary have yet to be finalized.

Maxie brings 10 seasons of NFL coaching experience and 13 years of playing experience to Dallas after spending the 2007 season as the Miami Dolphins secondary (safeties) coach. Maxie oversaw a unit that helped the team finish with the league’s fourth-best passing defense, allowing just 188.7 yards-per-game, despite suffering numerous season-ending injuries. Maxie’s work with Jason Allen allowed the second-year safety to finish the season with 53 tackles and a team-high three interceptions. Along the way, Allen intercepted two passes at Philadelphia (11/18/07) to become the first Dolphin to intercept two passes in a game since Sammy Knight had a pair of thefts against New England (12/20/04).

Before landing in Miami, Maxie spent three seasons (2004-06) with the Atlanta Falcons as the club’s defensive backs coach. During his time with the Falcons, Maxie oversaw the development of corner back DeAngelo Hall, Atlanta’s 2004 first round draft choice. Under Maxie’s tutelage, Hall picked off 12 passes and earned two Pro Bowl trips (2005 and 2006). In 2004, Maxie’s first year with the Falcons, Atlanta’s defense recorded a club-record five defensive touchdowns, four via interception returns.

Prior to his time in Atlanta, Maxie spent five seasons (1999-2003) with the San Francisco 49ers – 1991-2001 as the team’s assistant secondary coach and 2002-03 as secondary coach. In his final two seasons with the 49ers, safety Tony Parrish intercepted 16 passes, the highest total in the league over that stretch.

Maxie broke into the coaching ranks as the Carolina Panthers defensive backs/quality control coach in 1998 after a 13-year playing career which started as an undrafted free agent with the New Orleans Saints in 1985. Maxie played with the Saints through 1993 before landing in Atlanta (1994), Carolina (1995-96) and San Francisco (1997). He logged 104 starts in 153 regular season games and finished his playing career with 23 interceptions with three returned for touchdowns.

A native of Dallas, Maxie played at Texas Southern where he earned a degree in biology. He and his wife, Angela, have two sons, Brett and Adam, and two daughters, Maya and Olivia.

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