Who are the current defensive coordinators for all 32 NFL teams? Let’s take a look at all of the defensive coordinators and examine the new additions to the group for the 2024 season.
New defensive coordinators for the 2024 NFL season will be marked with an asterisk.
Current NFL Defensive Coordinators
- Arizona Cardinals | Nick Rallis
- Atlanta Falcons | Ryan Nielsen
- Baltimore Ravens | Zach Orr*
- Buffalo Bills | Bobby Babich*
- Carolina Panthers | Ejiro Evero
- Chicago Bears | Eric Washington
- Cincinnati Bengals | Lou Anarumo
- Cleveland Browns | Jim Schwartz
- Dallas Cowboys | Mike Zimmer*
- Denver Broncos | Vance Joseph
- Detroit Lions | Aaron Glenn
- Green Bay Packers | Jeff Hafley*
- Houston Texans | Matt Burke
- Indianapolis Colts | Gus Bradley
- Jacksonville Jaguars | Ryan Neilsen*
- Kansas City Chiefs | Steve Spagnuolo
- Las Vegas Raiders | Patrick Graham
- Los Angeles Chargers | Renaldo Hill
- Los Angeles Rams | Raheem Morris
- Minnesota Vikings | Brian Flores
- Miami Dolphins | Anthony Weaver*
- New England Patriots | Vacant
- New Orleans Saints | Kris Richard
- New York Giants | Shane Bowen*
- New York Jets | Jeff Ulbrich
- Pittsburgh Steelers | Teryl Austin
- Philadelphia Eagles | Vic Fangio
- San Francisco 49ers | Vacant
(Steve Wilks was fired after the team’s Super Bowl 58 loss) - Seattle Seahawks | Aden Durde*
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers | Vacant
- Tennessee Titans | Shane Bowen
- Washington Commanders | Joe Whitt Jr.*
Who Are the New DCs in the NFL in 2024?
The NFL coaching carousel is starting to heat up with head coach spots being filled and defensive coordinators starting to follow. We have now seen three hires in 2024. Let’s take a look at who has been hired so far this offseason.
Ryan Nielsen | Jaguars
Ryan Nielsen will be a first-year defensive coordinator for the second year running. He took the role with the Atlanta Falcons last year, but the firing of Arthur Smith left him looking for another role. Neilsen will head to Jacksonville to take over from Mike Caldwell, who was fired following the 2023 season.
Neilsen spent six years with the New Orleans Saints, firstly as a defensive line coach and then as a co-defensive coordinator. He moved to Atlanta last year where he was the defensive coordinator and defensive line coach. He had mixed success as a defensive coordinator in 2023 but did enough to convince the Jaguars to give him another chance this season.
Vic Fangio | Eagles
While not official yet, it is believed that Fangio will return to the Eagles just 12 months after leaving them for the Dolphins. Fangio was a “consultant” for the Eagles in their Super Bowl run but is now expected to be the defensive coordinator.
Fangio will also be a first-year defensive coordinator for the second season in a row after spending one year in Miami. However, after the Dolphins season fell apart down the stretch, the team and Fangio agreed to part ways mutually, allowing him to move back to Philadelphia to be closer to his family.
Fangio is arguably best known for his three years as the head coach of the Denver Broncos. Before that, he spent four seasons as the DC of the Chicago Bears and was Jim Harbaugh’s DC in San Francisco between 2011 and 2014.
Eric Washington | Bears
After the Bears cleared out both their offensive and defensive coordinators after the 2023 season, they swooped in and hired Eric Washington from the Bills. Washington spent four seasons with the Bills as the defensive line coach. During his time there he also had the title of senior defensive assistant in 2022 and assistant head coach in 2023.
Washington’s previous experience as a defensive coordinator came with the Carolina Panthers between 2018 and 2019. He was also a coach previously in Chicago between 2008 and 2010 before heading to Carolina.