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Lance Fernandez lists the defensive coordinator for all 32 teams in the 2024 NFL season. Which of these defensive coordinators will make an impact this year?
Only 32 men can call themselves an NFL defensive coordinator every season. It’s a tough job, considering how the rulebook seemingly favors offensive players.
Since teams are constantly looking for the man who could elevate, it’s noteworthy that there are 17 new defensive coordinators this season. Some were elevated from other roles within the organization, while others have coaching experience elsewhere.
Therefore, here are the defensive coordinators for every team during the 2024 NFL season. Since defense is still a part of football, their decisions could influence their team’s fate this year.
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Defensive Coordinators for AFC East Teams
Buffalo Bills – Bobby Babich
While head coach Sean McDermott still has a say in the Bills’ defensive scheme, the team promoted Babich from linebackers coach to defensive coordinator this season. Al Holcomb, who was last year’s senior defensive assistant, is taking his previous position.
Miami Dolphins – Anthony Weaver
Weaver has coaching experience with the Bills, New York Jets, Cleveland Browns, Houston Texans, and Baltimore Ravens. He was the Ravens’ assistant head coach and defensive line coach for two seasons before joining the Dolphins.
New England Patriots – DeMarcus Covington
Covington has been with the Patriots since 2017, then serving as a coaching assistant. With Jerod Mayo taking over the head coaching role from Bill Belichick, the Patriots promoted Covington to defensive coordinator after four seasons as defensive line coach.
New York Jets – Jeff Ulbrich
Ulbrich played ten seasons as a linebacker for the San Francisco 49ers. Before joining the Jets in 2021, he coached six seasons with the Atlanta Falcons. He started coaching as an assistant special teams coordinator for the Seattle Seahawks.
Defensive Coordinators for AFC North Teams
Baltimore Ravens – Zach Orr
With Mike Macdonald taking over the Seahawks head coaching role, Orr takes his previous place as defensive coordinator. Orr has been with the Ravens as a player in 2014. He became a defensive analyst and linebackers coach before taking on the DC role.
Cincinnati Bengals – Lou Anarumo
Joe Burrow chatting on the sideline with Bengals defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo. pic.twitter.com/gDfQrKqPcS
— Joe Danneman (@FOX19Joe) August 17, 2024
Anarumo is one of the longest-tenured NFL defensive coordinators, taking on the Bengals’ spot in 2019. Before joining Cincinnati, he had coaching stints with the Dolphins and the New York Giants. Anarumo also coached at Harvard and the United States Merchant Marine Academy.
Cleveland Browns – Jim Schwartz
Schwartz is entering his second season as the Browns' defensive coordinator. He was the Detroit Lions' head coach from 2009 to 2013 and coached the Tennessee Titans, the Bills, and the Philadelphia Eagles.
Pittsburgh Steelers – Teryl Austin
Austin is a Pennsylvania native and a University of Pittsburgh alumnus. He started coaching with the Steelers in 2019 as a senior defensive assistant and secondary coach. Three years later, he became the Steelers defensive coordinator.
Defensive Coordinators for AFC South Teams
Houston Texans – Matt Burke
Burke will enter his second season as Texans defensive coordinator, joining the team simultaneously as DeMeco Ryans. He has been coaching in the NFL since 2004, when he was 28.
Indianapolis Colts – Gus Bradley
Bradley has been the defensive coordinator for four NFL teams: the Seahawks, the Los Angeles Chargers, the Las Vegas Raiders, and the Colts. He was also the head coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars from 2013 to 2016.
Jacksonville Jaguars – Ryan Nielsen
The Jaguars hired Nielsen as their defensive coordinator in January 2024, taking over from Mike Caldwell. Before joining the Jaguars, he was the DC of the Falcons and the New Orleans Saints co-defensive coordinator.
Tennessee Titans – Dennard Wilson
Wilson joins the Titans at the same time as head coach Brian Callahan. He was a defensive backs coach for four teams: Rams, Jets, Eagles, and Ravens. He also worked as a scout for the Chicago Bears from 2008 to 2011.
Defensive Coordinators for AFC West Teams
Denver Broncos – Vance Joseph
Joseph returns as Broncos defensive coordinator for the second season. The University of Colorado Boulder alum was the Broncos head coach for the 2017 and 2018 seasons. He was the Arizona Cardinals defensive coordinator for four seasons before rejoining the Broncos.
Kansas City Chiefs – Steve Spagnuolo
Spagnuolo is tied with Anarumo as the longest-tenured NFL defensive coordinator. He had head coaching experience with the St. Louis Rams (2009-2011) and won his first Super Bowl title as DC for the New York Giants. He has helped the Chiefs win three Super Bowl titles in five seasons.
Las Vegas Raiders – Patrick Graham
Before joining the Raiders, Graham was the defensive coordinator for the Dolphins and the Giants. He was also the linebackers coach for the Patriots squad that won Super Bowl XLIX, which ended on a Malcolm Butler interception.
Los Angeles Chargers – Jesse Minter
Jim Harbaugh brought Minter to the Chargers after helping the Michigan Wolverines win the 2024 CFP National Championship. While coming off a college football coaching stint, Minter held various defensive coaching positions with the Ravens from 2017 to 2020.
Defensive Coordinators for NFC East Teams
Dallas Cowboys – Mike Zimmer
As Dan Quinn took over as the Washington Commanders head coach, the Cowboys hired Zimmer as their defensive coordinator, the same job he held from 2000 to 2006. He also served as DC of the Bengals and the Falcons before becoming the Minnesota Vikings head coach.
New York Giants – Shane Bowen
Bowen enters his first year as the Giants' defensive coordinator. He was the Titans' defensive coordinator from 2021 to 2023 and also coached the Texans.
Philadelphia Eagles – Vic Fangio
The Eagles will be the seventh different NFL team Fangio will serve as defensive coordinator. He was with Philadelphia as a consultant during the 2022 season, a year before he became the Dolphins defensive coordinator. Fangio was also the Broncos head coach from 2019 to 2021.
Washington Commanders – Joe Whitt Jr.
Dan Quinn brought Whitt with him as defensive coordinator. Whitt was the Cowboys’ secondary coach and pass game coordinator from 2021 to 2023, the same positions he fulfilled for one season with the Falcons. He has also had coaching stints with the Browns and the Green Bay Packers.
Defensive Coordinators for NFC North Teams
Chicago Bears – Eric Washington
Washington returned to the Bears as defensive coordinator 14 years after he became the team’s defensive line coach. He coached for the Carolina Panthers and the Bills before rejoining the Bears.
Detroit Lions – Aaron Glenn
Glenn is one of the few men on this list with playing, coaching, and front-office experience. After playing 15 NFL seasons for five NFL teams, he was a scout for the Jets before becoming an assistant defensive backs coach for the Browns. He also coached for the New Orleans Saints before joining the Lions in 2021.
Green Bay Packers – Jeff Hafley
Hafley was the head coach of the Boston College Eagles before joining the Packers this season. He previously worked as defensive backs coach for the Browns, the 49ers, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Minnesota Vikings – Brian Flores
Flores will enter his second season as the Vikings defensive coordinator. He started his coaching career with the Patriots, helping the franchise win four Super Bowl titles in his 11-year stint. He was also the Dolphins’ head coach for three seasons before becoming the Steelers’ linebackers coach.
Defensive Coordinators for NFC South Teams
Atlanta Falcons – Jimmy Lake
Before returning to the NFL, Lake coached the Washington Huskies for 13 games. He then joined the Rams as an assistant head coach and took on the Falcons' defensive coordinator role. Lake also coached for the Buccaneers and the Lions early in his career.
Carolina Panthers – Ejiro Evero
Evero started his NFL coaching journey in 2007 as a defensive quality control coach for the Buccaneers. After a one-year stint with the University of Redlands, he coached for the 49ers, the Packers, and the Rams. Evero was the Broncos defensive coordinator before transferring to the Panthers.
New Orleans Saints – Joe Woods
Woods was the defensive backs coach for the Broncos squad that won Super Bowl 50. He also served as Denver’s defensive coordinator before coaching for the Browns and the Saints. He also had earlier coaching stints with the Buccaneers, Vikings, and Raiders.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Kacy Rodgers and Larry Foote
The Buccaneers do not have an official defensive coordinator since head coach Todd Bowles still has a hand in playcalling. However, they have defensive line coach Rodgers and linebackers coach Foote as the de facto coordinators. Foote is a two-time Super Bowl winner in his 12-year NFL playing career.
Defensive Coordinators for NFC West Teams
Arizona Cardinals – Nick Rallis
Rallis is one of the youngest defensive coordinators in the league. Before joining the Cardinals, he already has six years of coaching experience, starting with Wake Forest. He also coached with the Vikings and Eagles before joining the Cardinals last year.
Los Angeles Rams – Chris Shula
With Raheem Morris taking over the Falcons head coaching role, the Rams promoted Shula to defensive coordinator. He has been with the Rams since 2017, coaching various positions. He comes from a coaching family, with Don Shula being his grandfather.
San Francisco 49ers – Nick Sorensen
Sorensen played in the NFL from 2001 to 2010. After playing, he coached for the Seahawks and the Jaguars before joining the 49ers.
Seattle Seahawks – Aden Durde
Durde will join the Seahawks this season after spending three seasons as Cowboys defensive line coach. He also coached five seasons for the Falcons and will now take over for Clint Hurtt, who is now a defensive line coach for the Eagles.
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