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Randy returns to the Lions after six years having formerly coached the club’s defensive line in 2011. He has most recently served as defensive line coach at Purdue University (2016) as well as one-year postings at the University of Miami (2015) and Florida International (2014) in addition to a two-year stint with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2012-2013).

A native of Aurora, Illinois and a graduate of Eastern Illinois, Melvin was a starter on the defensive line for the Panthers for three seasons and received AP All-America recognition (Division II) in 1979 and 1980. He also earned his master’s degree from the school in 1993 and was inducted into the school’s Hall of Fame in 1995.

In 1988, Melvin entered the collegiate coaching ranks at his alma mater Eastern Illinois as the defensive line coach. After seven seasons with Eastern Illinois, he left for Wyoming to become the coach of the defensive tackles for the 1995 and 1996 seasons. From 1997 through 1999, Melvin served as Purdue’s defensive ends coach.

During that same time period, Melvin was part of NFL’s Minority Coaching Fellowship program and gained valuable experience with the Denver Broncos as well as the New York Jets where he worked with defensive coordinator Bill Belichick.

Belichick wasted little time naming Melvin to his staff when he took over the coaching reins of the New England Patriots in 2000 and Randy would spend two seasons with the Pats serving as defensive line coach enjoying a Super Bowl win in the process.

In 2002, he began his first stint at Rutgers where he coached the Scarlet Knights’ defensive line from 2002-04. He re-joined the ranks of the NFL again from 2005-2008 with the Cleveland Browns and spent one-year terms at Temple University in 2009 and Rutgers in 2010 before his first Lions position in 2011.