Ken Flajole (FLAY-juhl) joined the Rams in 2009 after six seasons as linebackers coach for the Carolina Panthers.
The Panthers’ linebacker corps proved to be a strength of the defense. Flajole has been credited with the development of linebacker Jon Beason, who was runner-up in voting for NFC Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2007 and was named to his first career Pro Bowl in 2008 after leading the team in tackles for the second consecutive season with 159 stops.
In 2006, Flajole’s linebacker corps featured Thomas Davis in his first season as a starter and lost starting middle linebacker Dan Morgan in the first game of the regular season. Flajole inserted current Rams linebacker Chris Draft into the starting lineup and the Panthers continued to perform at a high level, finishing seventh in the NFL in yards allowed.
Dan Morgan and Mark Fields, were named to the Pro Bowl in 2004 and in 2003 Carolina advanced to the Super Bowl, in which Morgan set a team record with 25 tackles against the New England Patriots. Flajole also guided current Rams linebacker Will Witherspoon, who made 114 tackles in 2003.
Flajole coached four seasons (1999-2002) with the Seattle Seahawks, leading the defensive backs in 1999 and 2001-02 and linebackers in 2000. In 1999, Flajole’s secondary led the NFL with 30 interceptions, including two returned for touchdowns.
Flajole made his NFL coaching debut in 1998 as a defensive assistant for the Green Bay Packers. Flajole spent the previous 21 years coaching in the college ranks.
Flajole’s coaching debut was at his alma mater, Pacific Lutheran in 1977. He then moved to Washington (1979), Montana (1980-85), Texas-El Paso (1986-88), Missouri (1989-93), Richmond (1994) and Hawaii (1995). He held defensive coordinator positions at Montana and Richmond and was Nevada’s co-defensive coordinator/secondary coach for two seasons (1996-97). The Wolf Pack’s defense finished first in the Big West Conference in total defense, scoring defense and passing defense in 1997.
An All-Conference linebacker at Wenatchee Valley Community College in central Washington and at Pacific Lutheran, Flajole earned a bachelor’s degree in education from Pacific Lutheran in 1976. A native of Seattle, Flajole is married to Teri and the couple has two daughters, Kelly and Kori.
