Michigan State football announced Thursday evening that Jim Salgado has been named by head coach Mel Tucker as the program's new cornerbacks coach. The Spartans have been in the market for a new assistant coach since pass rush specialist Brandon Jordan departed for an assistant coach job with the Seattle Seahawks earlier this month. Salgado joins Michigan State after spending the past six seasons with the NFL's Buffalo Bills.
Salgado joins the staff in East Lansing with almost 30 years of coaching experience, including 23 seasons prior to his tenure with the Bills in the college ranks.
“Jim Salgado is an excellent, experienced football coach,” Tucker said. “I’m really impressed with his football knowledge. He comes highly recommended from one of my mentors, Leslie Frazier, and together they coached some of the top defenses in the NFL at Buffalo (No. 2 in team defense in 2018, No. 3 in 2019, No. 1 in 2021, No. 6 in 2022). Jim also has coordinator experience at the collegiate level, and really made a difference at Princeton, helping that program to two league titles. He has really good connections and can recruit nationally. He also has a great relationship with Harlon Barnett, so I’m excited to see them work together in the secondary.”
Salgado was hired by the Buffalo Bills in 2017 and spent his first three seasons as a defensive assistant before being promoted to nickel backs coach in 2020 and safeties coach in 2022. During that six-season span, the defensive unit was one of the best in the NFL. The Bills' ranked second in total defense in 2018, third in 2019, No. 1 in 2021, and No. 6 in 2022.
The 2021 Bills' defense featured the NFL's top-ranked pass defense and ranked third in interceptions with 19 that season. In 2020 with Salgado then taking the nickel backs role, the Bills had 15 interceptions, good for seventh in the league.
During Salgado's six seasons with Buffalo, the team's secondary saw safety Micah Hyde (2017), cornerback Tre’Davious White (2019, 2020) and safety Jordan Poyer (2022) all earn Pro Bowl honors. After a season plagued by injuries to the safety group, including Damar Hamlin, the Bills parted ways with Salgado in late January.
Before joining the ranks of the NFL, Salgado coached from the sideline for 23 seasons in the college ranks. That included stops at Princeton (2010-2016), Cornell (2009), Syracuse (2005-2008), Northeastern (2000-2001, 2004), Hofstra (1994, 2002-2003), Millersville (1997-1999), Boston University (1996-1997), and Western Connecticut (1994-1995). He served as Princeton's defensive coordinator from 2013-2016 before heading to Buffalo.
Salgado played cornerback at Hofstra University from 1990-1993, starting for three years and helping the Lions advance to the 1990 NCAA Division III semifinals. He earned his bachelor's degree in psychology from Hofstra in 1993.
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