Career
He is the former defensive coordinator for the,, and the
He was a graduate assistant or assistant coach at Mississippi State, University of Southern California, University of Oklahoma, and University of Alabama at Birmingham before joining the Houston Oilers in 1995. After a year with the Oilers, he joined the Dallas Cowboys, where he spent seven seasons, first as defensive assistant/quality control/linebackers coach (1996-1999), and later handing responsibilities in nickel defense packages (2000) and the secondary (2001-2002). Pendergast helped develop first-round draft pick Roy Williams into a Pro Bowl safety.
In 2003, he was linebackers coach with the Cleveland Browns.
While working in Cleveland, Pendergast impressed personnel man Jeremy Green to the point that when Green"s father, Dennis Green, became the head coach of the, Jeremy convinced him to interview Pendergast for the job. Green was so impressed that he hired Pendergast as the Cardinal"s Defensive Coordinator.
After Dennis Green"s firing, he was retained as defensive coordinator under new Cardinals head coach Ken Whisenhunt. Pendergast helped lead the Cardinals into Super Bowl XLIII, but was fired on Friday February 6, 2009, less than one week after Arizona lost to Pittsburgh 27-23 in the Super Bowl.
When Cardinals fired Pendergast, he was immediately linked with a move to Clancy Pendergast officially became the defensive coordinator for the Chiefs on March 13, 2009, where he reunited with Head Coach Todd Haley, who was offensive coordinator at Arizona during Pendergast"s time there.
On January 14, 2010, the Chiefs named former Cleveland Browns head coach Romeo Crennel their new defensive coordinator. According to NFL.com Pendergast was not retained for the 2010 season by the Chiefs in any coaching position. Pendergast was hired to become the Oakland Raiders defensive backs coach on February 6, 2010.
On February 19, 2010, Pendergast was hired as defensive coordinator for the, succeeding Bob Gregory.
Under Pendergast, the Golden Bears led the conference in total defense, pass defense and fewest first downs allowed in 2010 and 2011. He gained a reputation for containing the spread offense after his 2010 Bears slowed down Chip Kelly"s Number.1 ranked Oregon Ducks, holding them to 40 points below their average in a 16-13 loss.
