Paul Grattan joined the Northwestern football staff as an offensive assistant in February 2026.
 
Grattan came to the Wildcats from Duquesne, where he was hired as an offensive assistant in 2023. After one season in his offensive assistant role, Grattan was elevated to the Dukes running backs coach – a role in which he served for two seasons.
 
During his first season leading Duquesne’s running backs, Gratton helped JaMario Clements earn a First Team All-NEC selection and Shawn Solomon Jr. to NEC Rookie of the Year honors. The Dukes averaged 153.1 rushing yards per game and scored 10 rushing touchdowns in 2024 en route to clinching a share of the NEC regular season title.
 
In 2025, Duquesne bolstered its rushing attack to 188.4 rushing yards per game, punching in 15 rushing scores. Grattan guided Ness Davis through a breakout campaign in which he amassed 1,036 scrimmage yards. Seven Dukes notched rushing touchdowns this past season.
 
Grattan was a two-year starter on the UCLA offensive line, earning Second Team All-Pac-12 honors (media) and honorable mention all-conference plaudits from Pac-12 coaches. He graduated in 2021.
 
Grattan began his college career at Villanova in 2016. He started all but one game from 2017 to 2019. Grattan was a First-Team All-CAA selection in 2019 as the Wildcats earned an FCS Playoff bid.
 
After graduation, Grattan attended rookie camp with the Seattle Seahawks before signing with the XFL’s Seattle Sea Dragons for the 2023 season. He played in six games that year.