NFL defenses have never been more forward-thinking than in 2025. While the league is still driven by offense, defensive coordinators have started dictating the action rather than waiting to react. That means deciding when to send extra pass rushers, determining how to disguise coverages both before and after the snap, and planning for potential roster contingencies.
Who are the best defensive minds in the NFL? Let’s rank every defensive coordinator in the league going into the 2025-26 season.
2025 NFL Defensive Coordinator Rankings
All statistics come from TruMedia unless specified otherwise.
1) Vic Fangio, Philadelphia Eagles
The turnaround that Vic Fangio spearheaded as defensive coordinator of the Philadelphia Eagles last season was remarkable. After finishing 30th in PFSN’s Defense+ metric in 2023, Fangio turned them around to the second-best ranking in 2024.
Conceptual deathmatch between Andy Reid’s Strike concept and Vic Fangio’s Quads Trix coverage. pic.twitter.com/4l7hGJ9RSh
— Honest NFL (@TheHonestNFL) February 10, 2025
The Eagles finished second with just 17.8 points per game allowed last year, dominating with the second-lowest blitz rate in the league. Their talented defensive line is complemented by a strong secondary, which Fangio effectively utilizes through disguised coverages. He’s a defensive mastermind who played a massive role in their Super Bowl victory.
2) Steve Spagnuolo, Kansas City Chiefs
Steve Spagnuolo has quietly been the backbone of the Kansas City Chiefs’ dynasty. Since taking over as defensive coordinator in 2019, he’s helped guide the team to five Super Bowl appearances and three championships in just six seasons.
The Chiefs have placed 14th in Defense+ in consecutive seasons, preventing them from staying at No. 1, like they were for us last year. That said, his philosophy of generating pressure with blitzes and exotic rush packages works. Kansas City has been inside the top five in fewest points per game allowed in consecutive years.
3) Brian Flores, Minnesota Vikings
Blitz mastermind Brian Flores has transformed the Minnesota Vikings’ defense, forming one of the NFL’s top coaching duos alongside offensive-minded head coach Kevin O’Connell.
Flores played a key role in elevating both Jonathan Greenard and Andrew Van Ginkel to Pro Bowl seasons, each recording double-digit sacks. His expertly designed blitz packages consistently create opportunities for the defensive line. In 2024, Minnesota finished third in the league in Defense+.
4) Vance Joseph, Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos led the NFL in PFSN’s Defense+ metric in 2024, finishing inside the top 10 in points allowed, yards allowed, passer rating allowed, and interceptions per game. They also led the league in sacks, a testament to the outstanding work of defensive coordinator Vance Joseph.
Joseph’s journey from being the Broncos’ head coach from 2017 to 2018 to being their DC has been remarkable. With the reigning Defensive Player of the Year in Pat Surtain II at his disposal, he figures to be leading the charge for some time.
5) Jesse Minter, Los Angeles Chargers
Jim Harbaugh came to LA and brought Jesse Minter with him to become the Los Angeles Chargers’ new defensive coordinator. He led Michigan to the best defense in college football during a championship-winning 2023 season, and he carried his success over to the NFL.
Minter’s defense saw the Chargers finish fourth in Defense+ last season. After allowing the fewest points in the FBS with the Wolverines in 2023, Minter’s Chargers allowed the fewest points in the NFL.
If his units continue this trend of defensive dominance, Minter will likely become an NFL head coach sooner rather than later.
6) Robert Saleh, San Francisco 49ers
Ranking Robert Saleh this high comes with an asterisk, given that he’s returning to the defensive coordinator ranks after being fired as New York’s head coach last year. That said, he remains a top defensive mind in the NFL.
Saleh’s Jets ranked inside the top five in Defense+ in both 2022 and 2023. Before then, his defenses with the San Francisco 49ers played a significant role in their development into an NFC superpower. Now back in his old role as their DC, expect an improvement from a 49ers defense that placed just 26th in Defense+ last year.
7) Teryl Austin, Pittsburgh Steelers
Teryl Austin has served as the Pittsburgh Steelers’ defensive coordinator since 2022, and the team has made the playoffs in two of those seasons. Considering how miserable their quarterback play has been during that time, that’s a testament to Austin’s coaching.
The Steelers were 12th in Defense+ last year, which is a respectable ranking. Most notably, they led the NFL with 33 defensive takeaways. Their stability as an above-average unit over the previous three years shows that Austin is one of the better defensive coordinators in the game today.
8) Jim Schwartz, Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns struggled in 2024, but their defense remained a bright spot. Despite the team’s overall performance, Jim Schwartz continues to stand out as one of the premier defensive minds in the NFL.
Schwartz earned Assistant Coach of the Year honors in 2023 as the Browns’ defensive coordinator, and even during a three-win 2024 season, his unit still ranked inside the top 10 in Defense+. His aggressive approach continues to maximize Cleveland’s talent, especially across the defensive line and in the secondary.
Jim Schwartz pass rush plans 😮💨 pic.twitter.com/6axERh132H
— Theo Ash (@TheoAshNFL) November 9, 2023
9) Todd Bowles, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Todd Bowles doubles as both head coach and de facto defensive coordinator (no coach with the official designation) for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and he’s done a solid job anchoring the team’s defense. The Buccaneers have ranked 16th in Defense+ each of the last two seasons, placing them right in the middle of the pack.
Bowles is an aggressive defensive play caller with a blitz-heavy approach.
10) Jeff Hafley, Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers have struggled with their defensive performance in recent years. After bringing in Jeff Hafley last offseason, though, they turned things around in a significant way in 2024.
Hafley’s Packers allowed the sixth-fewest points in the NFL last year. They also placed third in the NFL in interceptions and ranked inside the top 10 in sacks. Finishing 10th in Defense+ in 2024, there’s a good chance they climb up the rankings with another full offseason for Green Bay’s personnel to work in Hafley’s system.
11) Zach Orr, Baltimore Ravens
In his first season as the defensive coordinator of the Baltimore Ravens, Zach Orr was able to maintain the elite standard of play that the Ravens ‘ defense has set in recent years.
PFSN has tracked Defense+ for six seasons, and the Ravens have finished inside the top 10 five times. They continued that pace in 2024, placing eighth under Orr. His defense placed second in the NFL in sacks and had the best run defense in the league. Still just 33 years old, he could have a bright coaching future ahead of him.
12) Steve Wilks, New York Jets
Of all the defensive coordinators in the first year of their new jobs, Steve Wilks joins the New York Jets in one of the better situations out there.
Granted, Wilks will have a defensive-minded head coach, Aaron Glenn, overseeing the unit, so the extent of his impact remains to be seen. Still, he’s a sharp defensive strategist in his own right, with coordinator experience at Carolina, Cleveland, San Francisco, and the University of Missouri. He’ll have good personnel to work with in New York.
13) Dennis Allen, Chicago Bears
After two failed stints as an NFL head coach, Dennis Allen finds himself returning to the defensive coordinator ranks. As one of the better defensive coaches in the game, this feels like an excellent way for him to extend his coaching career.
In seven seasons as the defensive coordinator in New Orleans, Allen’s defenses consistently performed above average. The Saints made the playoffs in four of those seasons. Now that he doesn’t have a bare-bones roster like he did in 2024, he could make some noise calling plays for the Chicago Bears in 2025.
14) Al Golden, Cincinnati Bengals
Al Golden has seen most of his coaching success come at the collegiate level. He was a tremendous defensive coordinator for Notre Dame in 2024, leading them to the national championship game.
The Cincinnati Bengals had one of the worst defenses in the league last year, giving Golden quite a challenge in his first NFL defensive coordinator role. Given how well Notre Dame’s defense has performed in the previous three seasons, he could eventually help them return to playing at a high level. It just might take some time.
Al Golden creates a pressure only sending 4 with every player accounted for and Weigman throwing while pedaling backwards. Creating free rushers without having to send numbers is the key to the sport on defense. pic.twitter.com/YGAh2TDmHW
— Greg Flammang (@greg2126) September 2, 2024
15) Matt Burke, Houston Texans
The presence of DeMeco Ryans on the Houston Texans’ coaching staff makes it more challenging to gauge Matt Burke’s influence as their defensive coordinator. That said, the results they’ve had with him in the role speak for themselves.
After finishing 12th in Defense+ in 2023, the Texans ended up seventh in 2024. Houston has plenty of star power to work with, including the likes of Will Anderson Jr., Derek Stingley Jr., and Danielle Hunter. Burke and Houston’s staff have done a good job of maximizing that talent.
16) Anthony Weaver, Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins face a challenging task ahead on defense, as seven of their starters from 2024 are no longer on the team, with Jalen Ramsey now heading to Pittsburgh in exchange for a reunion with Minkah Fitzpatrick. That said, they have a good coaching staff to work with.
Anthony Weaver has gotten head coaching looks in the past. That makes sense, seeing as though he comes from a talented Baltimore coaching staff and saw success there as assistant head coach. In 2024 with the Dolphins, his defense placed 11th in the league in Defense+.
17) Lou Anarumo, Indianapolis Colts
Lou Anarumo reached his peak as a defensive play caller in 2022, but the past two seasons saw Cincinnati’s defense unravel under his leadership. While some of the decline can be attributed to subpar personnel, Anarumo’s stock as a head coaching candidate has undeniably taken a hit.
The Bengals had the fifth-worst Defense+ ranking in 2024, primarily due to their poor passing defense and inability to stop the run. Of course, a new opportunity with the Indianapolis Colts will allow him to prove himself as a top defensive mind once again, rather than a flash in the pan.
18) Matt Eberflus, Dallas Cowboys
Coming off a disastrous run as the head coach in Chicago, Matt Eberflus finds himself returning to the defensive coordinator ranks. While his teams disappointed, his defenses were just fine.
Eberflus’ Bears defense finished 13th in Defense+ last season. Just two years ago, his defense led the NFL with the lowest rushing yards allowed and was first with 22 interceptions. With the Dallas Cowboys, he could resurrect his NFL reputation working with the likes of Micah Parsons, Trevon Diggs, and DaRon Bland.
19) Bobby Babich, Buffalo Bills
In his second season of calling defensive plays for the Buffalo Bills, Bobby Babich has the chance to cement himself as one of the top ascending coaches in the NFL.
Buffalo’s defense was in the middle of the pack in 2024, but Babich’s work as a positional coach has been impressive over the years. He got strong play out of Tremaine Edmunds and Matt Milano as their linebackers coach, as well as stellar work from Micah Hyde and Jordan Poyer as the safeties coach.
Von Miller on #Bills defensive effort in win over Ravens: “Bobby Babich has done a great job vs. all the top dogs, all the great offenses.” #BillsMafia pic.twitter.com/HcVafi2Ua6
— alex brasky (@alexbrasky) January 20, 2025
20) Aden Durde, Seattle Seahawks
Mike Macdonald calls the shots for the Seattle Seahawks’ defense, making it challenging to rank Aden Durde. By all accounts, though, he seems to be a coaching talent on the rise.
The first English-born defensive coordinator in NFL history, Durde served as the defensive coordinator for Seattle after three seasons as the defensive line coach in Dallas. Given that the Seahawks placed sixth in Defense+ in 2024, his outlook as a future defensive play caller could continue to shine brighter.
21) Jeff Ulbrich, Atlanta Falcons
Jeff Ulbrich spent 2021 to 2024 leading a talented Jets defense before stepping in as the team’s interim head coach. Now, he begins a new chapter as the defensive coordinator for the Atlanta Falcons.
Ulbrich won’t have as much star power to work with as he did in New York, where he had two top-five defenses in Defense+ in 2022 and 2023. However, rookies Jalon Walker and James Pearce Jr. give him upside to work with rushing the passer.
If Atlanta puts together a respectable campaign, it would be very beneficial to Ulbrich’s stock as a potential future head coaching candidate.
22) Patrick Graham, Las Vegas Raiders
Patrick Graham hasn’t had much to work with as the defensive coordinator of the Las Vegas Raiders since he took the role in 2022. That said, he’s remained with the team through three different head coaches, which speaks volumes about his reputation around the league.
The Raiders have never been elite on defense under Graham’s watch, but they’ve been respectable over the last couple of years, despite head coaching and offensive instability.
23) Shane Bowen, New York Giants
The New York Giants were unremarkable in Shane Bowen’s first season as their defensive coordinator, finishing with a below-average defense in 2024. They were not particularly bad but certainly pedestrian.
Bowen was a solid defensive coordinator for Tennessee from 2021 to 2023, and he gets plenty more talent to work with in 2025 than he had in New York last year. Abdul Carter, Jevón Holland, and Paulson Adebo provide him with a new infusion of talent to help him climb these rankings.
24) Joe Whitt Jr., Washington Commanders
The Washington Commanders struggled significantly on defense to start 2024, which was Joe Whitt Jr.’s first season as a defensive coordinator. However, he did enough in the second half of the year to finish with the 17th-best Defense+ grade.
Diggs and Bland flourished under Whitt’s guidance as Dallas’ secondary coordinator from 2021 to 2023. In 2024, Washington allowed the third-fewest passing yards in the league. If the run defense takes a step forward, Whitt’s stock will undoubtedly rise.
25) Brandon Staley, New Orleans Saints
A return to a defensive coordinator role should be helpful for Brandon Staley. He’s been through quite a lot that’s hurt his stock around the NFL over the last few years.
Staley was a fantastic defensive coordinator for the Rams in 2020, but his tenure as head coach of the Chargers was extremely rocky. He spent 2024 as an assistant head coach for the 49ers, when their defense placed just 26th in Defense+.
This defensive coordinator gig with the New Orleans Saints feels like his last chance to prove himself again. We’ll see what he makes of it.
26) Chris Shula, Los Angeles Rams
The Los Angeles Rams have some enticing young talents on their roster, but it hasn’t all come together for them as a unit on defense yet. Higher expectations should come for Chris Shula in his second year as their defensive coordinator.
The grandson of legendary Dolphins head coach Don Shula climbed up the ranks of the Rams’ organization for seven seasons before becoming defensive coordinator. They placed 24th in Defense+ last year, and they made no significant offseason additions to their defense. If the Rams improve their defense in 2025, it’ll be a credit to Shula’s coaching.
27) Dennard Wilson, Tennessee Titans
Dennard Wilson is in his second season as the defensive coordinator for the Tennessee Titans. It’s still very early in his tenure as a defensive play caller, so a ranking this low is more a result of his unproven status as a defense’s head guy.
Wilson’s Titans finished 22nd in PFSN’s Defense+ rating last year, with a lack of significant pressure and sacks hurting them up front. They allowed the third-most points in the league, though allowing the second-fewest yards in the NFL is a very encouraging sign.
28) Nick Rallis, Arizona Cardinals
Nick Rallis has gotten off to a rough start to his tenure with the Arizona Cardinals in 2023. His defense finished last in Defense+ and only saw a minor improvement to 27th in 2024.
However, they have plenty of young defenders on the rise in Arizona. The front office added players like Josh Sweat and Calais Campbell in 2025, which should help the pass rush. Rallis has some concerns as a defensive coordinator, but he has a chance to break out in Year 3.
29) Ejiro Evero, Carolina Panthers
It’s tough to rank Ejiro Evero this low, seeing as though he’s interviewed for several head coaching jobs in recent years. He might end up bouncing back now that the Carolina Panthers invested heavily in the defensive line, but that remains to be seen.
Under Evero, the Panthers allowed the most points in the NFL in 2024. Since he took over as defensive coordinator in 2023, they’ve placed inside the bottom five in Defense+ in both seasons. He remains more of a case of untapped potential rather than actual substance until his defenses perform better with him as the defensive coordinator.
30) Terrell Williams, New England Patriots
Exactly what Terrell Williams’ responsibilities will be as the New England Patriots’ defensive coordinator remains to be seen. Mike Vrabel’s presence will likely loom large over their defensive operations. That said, Williams has shown promise in his coaching career.
This will be Williams’ first defensive coordinator role, but he’s been coaching defenses since 1998. He spent last year as the defensive line coach and run game coordinator in Detroit. The Lions succeeded under his watch, as they allowed the fifth-fewest rushing yards in the NFL.
31) Kelvin Sheppard, Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions placed fifth in the NFL in Defense+ in 2024, but Aaron Glenn left his defensive coordinator post to become the head coach of the New York Jets. On a talented Detroit coaching staff, Kelvin Sheppard earned the promotion to DC.
Sheppard has been the Lions’ linebackers coach for the last three seasons. He’s only been an NFL coach for five seasons, so he’s still mostly unproven compared to other defensive coordinators. That said, he’ll be in a strong position to climb these rankings if he can keep up the level of play Detroit’s defenses are used to.
32) Anthony Campanile, Jacksonville Jaguars
Ranking Anthony Campanile this low isn’t a knock on his potential — it’s simply the reality that he’s never held an NFL defensive coordinator role before, making it harder to justify a higher spot.
Campanile spent last year as Green Bay’s linebackers coach and run game coordinator. He fared pretty well in that regard, as the Packers had the seventh-fewest rushing yards allowed in the NFL last year. The Jacksonville Jaguars had the second-worst Defense+ grade in 2024, so he’ll have his work cut out for him.