Miami Dolphins Legend Adds NFL Experience to FAMU Staff
Quinn Gray didn’t come home to FAMU to play it safe. According to the Tallahassee Democrat, four-time Pro Bowl cornerback Sam Madison has joined the Rattlers as cornerbacks coach. The former Miami Dolphins star brings 12 seasons of NFL playing experience and five years of NFL coaching experience to Gray’s staff.
The former Rattlers quarterback — now the program’s 20th head coach — is building his inaugural staff with names that resonate from Tallahassee to Miami Gardens.
“Who else would you rather coach your corners? To have him as a part of the staff brings a wealth of knowledge and different experiences,” Gray told the Tallahassee Democrat during FAMU’s spring practice on Feb. 25.
“He’s coached on the NFL and college level. His playing experience as well is going to lean towards giving these kids what they need from a standpoint of playing the position.”
For Gray, it’s more than a hire. It’s symbolism.
NFL Resume, Florida Roots
Madison isn’t just a former pro — he’s a Miami Dolphins legend.
Drafted in the second round (44th overall) of the 1997 NFL Draft, Madison spent nine of his 12 seasons in Miami. He earned four Pro Bowl selections and multiple All-Pro honors while forming one of the league’s elite cornerback tandems alongside Patrick Surtain Sr.
In 1999, Madison tied for the NFL lead in interceptions with seven. Later, he added a Super Bowl ring as a player with the New York Giants in 2007, starting for the team that handed Tom Brady and the previously undefeated Patriots their stunning 17-14 loss in Super Bowl XLII.
His legacy in South Florida is cemented. Madison was inducted into the Dolphins’ Walk of Fame in 2014.
But his résumé doesn’t stop with playing.
Sam Madison transitioned seamlessly into coaching, serving as secondary and cornerbacks coach for the Kansas City Chiefs from 2019 to 2021. He earned another Super Bowl ring as an assistant when the Chiefs defeated the 49ers in Super Bowl LIV. He later returned to the Miami Dolphins (2022–2023) as the cornerbacks coach and a defensive pass game specialist.
Now, for the first time, he’s stepping into the college ranks.
“To be able to add a coach of that quality at this point is nothing short of amazing,” Gray told the Democrat. “We’re happy to have him and looking forward to the work he’s going to put in.”
Full-Circle Moment in Orange and Green
Long before the Pro Bowls and Super Bowls, Sam Madison was already wearing orange and green.
The Monticello native starred for the FAMU Developmental Research School Baby Rattlers before earning a scholarship to Louisville, where he became an All-American and later a member of the Cardinals’ Ring of Honor.
Now he returns to Tallahassee as part of a new era.
And that’s where this story connects deeper.
Gray himself once stood on those same practice fields as a young quarterback battling for snaps behind FAMU legends like Oteman Sampson and Pat “The Mad Bomber” Bonner. He eventually became the program’s all-time leading passer, orchestrating Billy Joe’s explosive “Gulf Coast Offense.”
After a professional career that included leading Frankfurt to a World League championship and NFL stops with Jacksonville and Indianapolis, Gray built his coaching résumé — culminating in a historic NCAA Division II Playoff run at Albany State.
When FAMU hired him in December 2025, the Board of Trustees approved the move unanimously in a swift 10-minute meeting. The message was clear: bring a Rattler home.
Now Gray is doing the same for NFL talent with deep Florida roots.
Statement of Intent
This isn’t just about adding a cornerbacks coach.
It’s about infrastructure.
Gray has already brought in high-profile assistants like Ron Dugans and Billy Rolle, blending South Florida recruiting ties with professional-level experience. The addition of Madison reinforces that blueprint — NFL experience paired with HBCU tradition.
Spring practice is underway, and the Rattlers will close camp with their Orange and Green Spring Game on April 3 at Bragg Memorial Stadium. The 2026 season opens Aug. 29 against Albany State — Gray’s former team.
But the early headline belongs to the staff.
When you’re rebuilding tradition, you recruit quarterbacks.
When you’re restoring swagger, you hire coaches who’ve locked up the best in the world.
And in Tallahassee, a former Dolphins star is now teaching current Rattlers how to play on Sundays — starting on Saturdays.