Gregory Fishbeck Knapp, more popularly known as Greg Knapp, was a football coach who played in the NFL for 25 seasons. During his time, he was associated with teams like the San Francisco 49ers, Houston Texans, Atlanta Falcons, Denver Broncos, Oakland Raiders, and the New York Jets. He played college football for the Sacramento State Hornets football team (California State University, Sacramento).
Greg Knapp played as a player as well in the NFL but was only part of the practice or the offseason squad. He was associated with the Kansas City Chiefs, the Los Angeles Rams, and the San Francisco 49ers for twelve years. He started his college career at his alma mater (Sacramento University). His first job in the NFL came in the form of an offensive quality control coach in 1995.
He was promoted to quarterbacks coach for the San Francisco 49ers and was also an offensive coordinator. He worked as an offensive coordinator for the Atlanta Falcons, Oakland Raiders, and Denver Broncos. His last job was with the New York Jets as a pass-game specialist, which he joined in 2021.
Greg Knapp met with an unfortunate accident in July 2021. He was driving a bike while in San Ramon, California, when he was hit by a driver on July 17, 2022, and succumbed to his injuries on July 22, 2021. The driver who hit him did not face any criminal charges by the police.
Robert Saleh and the New York Jets offer tribute in remembrance of Greg Knapp
New York Jets head coach Robert Saleh announced on December 1, 2023, that the team as well as the coaching staff will be paying tribute to Greg Knapp. They will be running on the stairs of the New York Jets stadium (MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey) on December 2, 2023. It’s in tribute to the several road accidents that happen across the USA and kills approximately 50 people every day.
“So this week with My Cause, My Cleats, we’re recognizing coach Knapper if everyone remembers who was tragically hit and killed by a distracted driver. So we are running the steps for him on Sunday. Every day, there are 50 deaths due to distracted drivers. So put your phones down and try to save a life,” Saleh said.
Every day there are 50 distracted driving deaths in America, including our beloved Coach Knapp in 2021.
Coach Saleh and the coaching staff will be running the stairs in the stadium on Sunday in his honor 💚 pic.twitter.com/FPvZ05uVnE
— New York Jets (@nyjets) December 1, 2023
During that unfortunate time as well, Robert Saleh paid tribute to Greg Knapp. Saleh said that Knapp lived life in a manner that made him connect with people from different walks of life. He thanked Knapp for his presence and added that he would miss his ‘brother’.
“He lived life in a loving way that helped him connect with people from all walks of life in a unique way. In his short time here, I believe the people in this organization had a chance to experience that connection. Greg, thank you for all that you have shared with us; you will be missed, brother,“ Robert Saleh said.
Robert Saleh also offered his support to Greg Knapp’s family members. He kept them in his wishes. He talked about Knapp’s inner peace, which attracted people to him.