Heading towards the 2022 NFL season, who are the current defensive coordinators for all 32 teams? Let’s take a look at all of the defensive coordinators and examine who are the new additions to the group this season.
Current NFL Defensive Coordinators in 2022
- Arizona Cardinals | Vance Joseph
- Atlanta Falcons | Dean Pees
- Baltimore Ravens | Mike Macdonald
- Buffalo Bills | Leslie Frazier
- Carolina Panthers | Phil Snow
- Chicago Bears | Alan Williams
- Cincinnati Bengals | Lou Anarumo
- Cleveland Browns | Joe Woods
- Dallas Cowboys | Dan Quinn
- Denver Broncos | Ejiro Evero
- Detroit Lions | Aaron Glenn
- Green Bay Packers | Joe Barry
- Houston Texans | Vacant
- Indianapolis Colts | Gus Bradley
- Jacksonville Jaguars | Mike Caldwell
- Kansas City Chiefs | Steve Spagnuolo
- Las Vegas Raiders | Patrick Graham
- Los Angeles Chargers | Renaldo Hill
- Los Angeles Rams | Raheem Morris
- Minnesota Vikings | Ed Donatell
- Miami Dolphins | Josh Boyer
- New England Patriots | Vacant
- New Orleans Saints | Ryan Nielsen/Kris Richard
- New York Giants | Don Martindale
- New York Jets | Jeff Ulbrich
- Pittsburgh Steelers | Teryl Austin
- Philadelphia Eagles | Jonathan Gannon
- San Francisco 49ers | DeMeco Ryans
- Seattle Seahawks | Clint Hurtt
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers | Vacant
- Tennessee Titans | Shane Bowen
- Washington Commanders | Jack Del Rio
Who Are the New DCs in the NFL in 2022?
There are a total of 12 new defensive coordinators for the 2022 NFL season. Two of those coordinators are co-defensive coordinators, and there are also three DC roles not currently filled with an official title in 2022. Let’s take a look at the new defensive coordinators for the 2022 season.
Mike Macdonald | Ravens
The first new defensive coordinator for the season is a fascinating story. Mike Macdonald goes from working under Jim Harbaugh at Michigan to under his brother in Baltimore. Macdonald was previously with the Ravens between 2014 and 2020, first as an intern, then a defensive assistant, before spending a year as the defensive backs coach and three years as the linebackers coach.
Alan Williams | Bears
Williams will work for his third NFC North team as he takes over as the DC of the Bears. He follows Matt Eberflus from the Colts to become a coordinator for the second time in his career. Williams was previously the DC of the Minnesota Vikings between 2012 and 2013. He spent the intervening eight years as the defensive backs coach of the Lions (2014-17) and the Colts (2018-21).
Ejiro Evero | Broncos
Evero joins a young staff in Denver alongside head coach Nathaniel Hackett and OC Justin Outten. Born in the UK, Evero was briefly on the roster of the Raiders as a player before turning to a coaching career. He spent the past five years with the Rams, first as the safeties coach (2017-20), before coaching the secondary and becoming the passing game coordinator in 2021.
Gus Bradley | Colts
Bradley will embark on his fourth NFL defensive coordinator role as he joins the Colts. Bradley spent 2021 with the Raiders after being with the Chargers from 2017 to 2020. Prior to that, he was the head coach of the Jaguars for four seasons and the DC in Seattle between 2009 and 2012.
Mike Caldwell | Jaguars
After spending a decade as a linebackers coach in the NFL, Mike Caldwell gets his first opportunity as a DC in 2022. He spent the past three years with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as the inside linebackers coach.
Patrick Graham | Raiders
Patrick Graham heads to Las Vegas for his third NFL defensive coordinator role in the last four years. Graham previously worked with Brian Flores in Miami (2019) and Joe Judge in New York (2020-21). He has a history of coaching both the defensive line and linebackers during his time with the Patriots, Giants, and Packers.
Ed Donatell | Vikings
Yet another DC who will jump from one job to another is Ed Donatell. After spending the previous three years with the Broncos, Donatell will move from Denver to Minnesota. This will be his fourth spell as a DC, having also worked with the Packers (2000-03) and Falcons (2004-06).
Ryan Nielsen and Kris Richard | Saints
With Dennis Allen moving from the Saints defensive coordinator to head coach, it opened an opportunity at the DC level. The Saints have decided to become the only team in the NFL with co-defensive coordinators. Before getting the DC role, Ryan Nielsen has spent the last four years as the defensive line coach.
Kris Richards is in just his second year with the Saints as their defensive backs coach. However, he spent the previous two seasons with the Cowboys as the DBs coach and passing game coordinator. Richards was also the Seahawks’ DC between 2015 and 2017.
Don Martindale | Giants
Martindale will move up the East Coast from the Ravens to the Giants. He had spent the previous four years as the Ravens’ defensive coordinator after being the linebackers coach between 2012 and 2017. Martindale will be in his third stint as an NFL DC after spending one season calling the shots with the Broncos in 2010.
Teryl Austin | Steelers
Teryl Austin will get a third chance to be a defensive coordinator in the NFL. He spent the past three seasons as the senior defensive assistant and secondary coach in Pittsburgh. Before joining the Steelers, Austin was the DC for the Lions between 2014 and 2017 and the Bengals in 2018.
Clint Hurtt | Seahawks
After spending the previous five seasons as the Seahawks’ defensive line coach and assistant head coach, Clint Hurtt was promoted to the defensive coordinator. Hurtt previously worked with the Chicago Bears as an assistant defensive line coach and then the outside linebackers coach.