2023 will see many new faces running the NFL defense. Here’s an overview:
With free agency in full swing and hopes for the 2023 draft rapidly building, the NFL’s annual coaching carousel is slowly slowing down.
That means the league’s 32-team coaching staff is all but ready for next season. Not surprisingly, training his camp meetings will feature many newcomers, including many of the newly minted defensive coordinators.
In a league that is constantly changing, no current defensive coordinator has stayed in that position for more than four years.
With that in mind, let’s take a look at all the NFL defensive coordinators for the 2023 season:
NFC East
Jason Parkhurst / USA TODAY Sports
dallas cowboys, Dan Quinn: Again, Quinn was rumored to be one of the NFL’s most coveted assistants during the offseason, but again, he’s gone nowhere. He recorded sacks and 16 interceptions and led a defensive unit that was a big-playing machine. He previously led the Falcons to Super Bowl LI in the 2016 season.
new york giants, Don Martindale: The 2022 season was Martindale’s first season as New York DC. He was a longtime assistant to the Ravens before taking this job and has been a coach in the NFL since 2004.
philadelphia eagles, Sean Desai: Desai replaces Jonathan Gannon, who left the Eagles to coach the Cardinals. Desai was the Seahawks’ associate last season, where he headed his coach, and now he’s taking over Philadelphia’s defense, where he was one of the most dominant units in the league in 2022. NFL coordinator.
Washington Commanders, jack del rio: Del Rio has been Ron Rivera’s DC for the past three seasons. He was previously the head coach of the Raiders (2015-17) and Jaguars (2003-11). As head coach, he compiled a career record of 93–94.
NFC North
Sam Navarro / USA TODAY Sports
chicago bears, Alan Williams: Last season was Williams’ first season as Chicago DC, and everyone involved knew it was going to be a rebuilding year. The Bears ranked him 29th in total ERA last season and dead last in his NFL in acceptable points (463). Williams has previously held assistant jobs with the Colts, Lions, Vikings and Buccaneers.
detroit lions, Aaron Glenn: Glenn has been in this position since 2021 and previously coached the defensive backs with the Browns and Saints. He played for 15 years as a defensive back in his NFL and was named to the Pro Bowl three times. He and Lions’ Dan Campbell, his coach, were teammates with the Cowboys in ’05.
Green Bay Packers, Joe Barry: It will be Barry’s third season as Green Bay’s defensive coordinator. He is the Raiders defensive line his coach and former Lions head coach Rod He is Marinelli’s son-in-law.
Minnesota Vikings, Brian Flores: Former Dolphins coach Got a job in Minnesota After serving as the Steelers’ linebacker coach in 2022, he was a longtime assistant to the Patriots before landing his first head coaching job in Miami.
NFC South
Kim Clement / USA TODAY Sports
new orleans saints, Joe Woods: Former Browns DC joined New Orleans after being fired by Cleveland at the end of the 2022 season. This is his seventh NFL team he has worked for since 2004.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Larry Foot, Casey Rogers: Tampa Bay has a unique placement with a co-defensive coordinator. Rodgers will serve as run game coordinator and defensive line coach, while Foote will serve as passing game coordinator and linebackers coach. Head coach Todd Bowles also boasts a defensive background.
NFC West
Gary A. Vasquez / USA TODAY Sports
Arizona Cardinals, Nick Laris: The former Eagles linebacker coach became the youngest coordinator in the NFL when he got the Arizona job. The 29-year-old has been climbing the ranks since getting his first NFL job with the Vikings in 2018.
los angeles rams, Raheem Morris: Morris won the Super Bowl in Los Angeles in his first year with the team in the 2021 season. He previously served as head coach of the Buccaneers from 2009 until he was in 2011.
San Francisco 49ers, Steve Wilkes: After posting a 6-6 record as the Carolina interim coach, Wilkes was handed over to the role of full-time head coach for the Panthers. San Francisco hires him insteadHe would be a welcome addition to last year’s No. 1 defense, led by the Texans’ new coach, Demeko Lyons. Wilkes also coached the Cardinals for a year in 2018.
Seattle Seahawks, clint hartHart’s first season as Seattle’s D.C. ended in a postseason appearance, but his defense allowed 401 points in 2022, ranking 25th among 32 teams in the NFL. Prior to that, he was the Seahawks’ assistant head he coach and defensive line he coach.
AFC East
Hal Habib / USA Today Sports
buffalo bills: Leslie Fraser He has been the helmsman of Buffalo’s defense since 2018, and since then the unit has become one of the most successful units in the NFL. However, the team announced in February that: Frazier will retire for 2023 seasonBuffalo have yet to name a replacement, and it’s unclear if Frazier will return to the team in 2024.
miami dolphins, Vic Fangio: Former Broncos coach hired in miami This offseason will be his sixth stint as NFL DC. Fangio enters 2023 as one of the most experienced professional coordinators.
new york jets, Jeff Ulbrich: Ulbrich is one of the best young defenses at his disposal in 2022 and the numbers prove it. The Jets allowed the 4th fewest points (316) in sacks (45), which ranks him 7th in the NFL, despite his low blitz percentage in the NFL (14.9%). He got the job in ’21 after holding several positions with the Falcons since ’15.
AFC North
Charles LeClaire / USA TODAYSports
Baltimore Ravens, Mike McDonald: McDonald was on the coaching staff in Baltimore from 2014-2020 before taking a job in Washington DC. MichiganAfter helping Jim Harbaugh’s Wolverines reach the college football playoffs in 2021, he returned to John Harbaugh’s Ravens in ’22 to become the team’s DC.
cleveland browns, Jim Schwartz: 2023 season is Schwartz’s first in Cleveland Since the 1990s when he served as a personnel scout for the same organization. Since then, he has worked for the Ravens, Titans, Lions, Bills, and Eagles. All his roles were as an assistant, with the exception of his head coaching job at Detroit from 2009 to 2013.
Cincinnati Bengals, Lou Anarmo: Anarumo was the Giants’ defensive backs coach before joining the Bengals in 2019. Before he came to New York, he was an assistant for the Dolphins from ’12 to ’17. He and Cincinnati coach Zach Taylor coached together in Miami until Taylor left in 2015.
Pittsburgh Steelers, Terryl Austin: Austin was promoted to DC last season after three years as the Steelers’ defensive assistant and secondary coach. They ranked 10th among the NFL’s 32 teams in points allowed in 2022.
AFC South
Christopher Hawinkel / USA TODAY Sports
Indianapolis Colts, Gus Bradley: The former Jaguars coach spent his first year at Indianapolis in 2022 and it was a memorable one. The Colts last season ranked him 15th in total defense (334 yards allowed per game), but tied for 28th in scoring defense (25.1 points per game). Bradley coached Jacksonville from his 13th year until he’s 16th, as well as his DC for the Chargers, Raiders and Seahawks.
jacksonville jaguars, Mike Caldwell: The former NFL linebacker is rookie DC in 2022 and finished with Jacksonville’s first playoff appearance since 2017.
Tennessee Titans, Shane Bowen: The 2023 season marks Bowen’s third year as Tennessee’s D.C. and he’s looking to turn his former elite defense around. The Titans ranked him last in the NFL for passing in 2022, allowing 274.8 yards of airthru and 29 touchdowns per game on his passes.
AFC West
Mark J. Rebilas / USA TODAY Sports
Denver Broncos, Vance Joseph: Joseph was fired after two seasons as head coach of the Broncos on December 31, 2018, but is now back in Denver working under Sean Payton. He has been his DC for the Cardinals since Joseph was fired from the Broncos.
kansas city chiefs, Steve Spagnolo: Spagnuolo has been an NFL coach since 1999 and is one of the most experienced coaches in football. He won a Super Bowl as a DC on the Giants and two more with the Chiefs. He was the Rams head coach from 2009-2011.
Los Angeles Chargers, Derrick Ansley: Los Angeles promoted Ansley from defensive back coach this offseason. It will be his first job as NFL DC. He won the National Championship in 2011 and his 2017 season as an assistant to Alabama.
las vegas raiders, Patrick Graham: Graham’s first year as DC in Las Vegas was 2022. He and Raiders coach Josh McDaniels worked together on Bill Belichick’s Patriots staff from 2012-15.