Banta, the 46 year old Baton Rouge native, replaces long-time New Orleans Saints coordinator Greg McMahon, whose unit struggled heavily in 2016.
This will be Banta’s first opportunity as an NFL coordinator. Banta had a long career as a long snapper and tight end, playing for the Colts, the Jets, the Lions, and the Bills. He never put up much in the way of stats. He started two games for the Colts in 1995, but finished the season with only 5 targets.
After his playing career, Banta went on to serve as a construction supervisor for two years in Chattanooga, TN.