DJ Gillins is in his first season with the Cardinals as the Bill Bidwill Fellowship coach after joining Arizona's staff on 2/14/25.
Gillins is the seventh individual to participate in the Bill Bidwill Coaching Fellowship, which was established prior to the 2015 season and designed to increase diversity and create additional opportunities for coaching experience at the highest level.
He came to the Cardinals from Stony Brook University where he was the running backs coach with the Seawolves last season. Under Gillins' mentorship, RB Roland Dempster had a record-breaking season in 2024, leading Stony Brook in rushing yards (1,332), rushing attempts (268), rushing yards per game (111.0) and all-purpose yards per game (138.9) and was a finalist for Walter Payton Award, known as the Heisman of the FCS.
Prior to Stony Brook, Gillins spent two seasons (2022-23) at Long Island University where he was the wide receivers coach. He also made previous coaching stops as a graduate assistant at Utah State (2019) as well Arkansas (2019) and Utah (2020) working with wide receivers before landing his first full-time role at Iowa Western Community College as the wide receivers coach.
Gillins played quarterback collegiately at four different schools, appearing in 11 total games. He played at Wisconsin (2014-15), Pearl River (MS) Community College (2016), SMU (2017) and UTSA (2018) in his college career.
He attended Jean Ribault (Jacksonville, FL) High School where he was a four star recruit by ESPN, Rivals and ranked as the #4 dual threat quarterback nationally by 247Sports. Gillins was a four-time captain and four-time MVP, throwing for 7,221 yards and 76 TDs. He earned his bachelor's degree in Sociology from SMU in 2018.
Gillins is married to his wife, Megan.
DJ Gillins Coaching Breakdown
Year School/Team Position
2019 Utah State Graduate Assistant
2019 Arkansas Graduate Assistant
2020 Utah Graduate Assistant
2021 Iowa Western C.C. Wide Receivers
2022–23 Long Island Wide Receivers
2024 Stony Brook Running Backs
2025*– ARIZONA CARDINALS Bill Bidwill Fellowship*
