CARLISLE, Pa. - For Scott Cohen '91, giving back to Dickinson has never been limited to attending games or following the Red Devils from a distance.

Throughout his 34-year career in the National Football League, Cohen remained connected to the college, its students and its football program. He formed alumni groups, created networking and mentorship opportunities and helped preserve relationships between former players and the coaching staff.

Now, Cohen is returning to the field.

The former Dickinson wide receiver is joining the Red Devils as a volunteer assistant coach, focusing on special teams, game management and situational football.

"We are excited to add Scott to our staff. His passion for Dickinson College coupled with his high football IQ will serve as a great addition to our team and our culture as we get started this week" stated head coach Brad Fordyce.

"I've always enjoyed giving back to connect alumni with the coaching staff and players," Cohen said. "This was a unique opportunity to help make an impact on the field in a more direct way."

Cohen was a four-year starting wide receiver and a member of three consecutive championship teams from 1988 through 1990. All three teams were later selected for induction into the Dickinson Athletics Hall of Fame.

Cohen majored in economics and minored in policy and management, but he credits former head coach Ed Sweeney with providing many of the principles he carried into professional football.

"Coach Ed Sweeney did more to shape my football career," Cohen said. "His methods of instilling discipline, team unity and mental toughness are qualities I've carried with me through my years in the NFL."

Cohen's NFL career began with four summer internships at the Washington Redskins' training camp in Carlisle. After graduating from Dickinson, he joined the organization as a scouting assistant while also helping run training camp.

He went on to spend 23 seasons in scouting, including positions with Washington, Jacksonville, Philadelphia, the New York Jets and Tampa Bay. His roles included college scout, assistant director of pro scouting, director of pro scouting and assistant general manager.

Cohen later moved onto the coaching staff in Baltimore, where he worked for nine seasons as director of football research under John Harbaugh. His group blended coaching information, professional scouting reports, and analytics to improve advanced scouting and situational football preparation.

He concluded his NFL career with the Tennessee Titans, spending two seasons as director of football strategy and implementing a similar collaborative system between the coaching, scouting and analytics departments.

That background will allow Cohen to provide Dickinson with insight in areas that frequently determine the outcome of close games.

"I've learned from some of the best NFL coaches over my years," Cohen said. "I hope to bring knowledge, ideas and techniques to help give us an edge throughout the season"