Defensive Coordinator

With all of the Sean Payton talk, needing a new defensive coordinator has been lost in the smoke or rumors. I strongly believe that the next D-Coordinator should come from an assistant coach that has proven success, so here are a few candidates whether Payton stays or not (in no particular order):


1. Dwaine Board, DL Coach Seattle Seahawks



Board spent six seasons (2003-08) as defensive line coach, helping the team rank second in the NFL with 136 sacks from 2005-07 and totaling an NFL-leading 50 sacks during Seattle’s Super Bowl XL run in 200 before returning at the beginning of 2015. He began his coaching career in San Francisco where he coached the defensive line from 1990-2002, helping the 49ers win Super Bowl XXIX vs. San Diego after the 1994 season.

Board earned three Super Bowl rings (1981, 1984, 1988) with the San Francisco 49ers during his 10-year playing career (1979-88) and was named Super Bowl XIX Defensive Player of the Game after recording four tackles and 2.0 sacks vs. Miami after the 1984 season.

He is one of 20 people in NFL history to win a Super Bowl as both a player and coach.

2. Mike Vrabel, LB Coach Houston Texans



In 2014, the Texans saw their linebackers make significant improvements under Vrabel. Brian Cushing led the way with 72 tackles, nine quarterback hits, a sack, and a forced fumble in 14 games played. Additionally, in his third year in the league, Whitney Mercilus recorded career highs of 50 tackles and nine tackles for loss. He also tied a career best with two forced fumbles.

Under Vrabel, veteran linebacker Mike Mohamed put together the best year of his career, setting career highs with 58 tackles, an interception, six passes defensed, a quarterback hit and two tackles for loss.

Vrabel's talents as a recruiter earned him a national Top 25 recruiter honor in 2013 from Rivals.com and in 2012 he was named the ESPN.com Big Ten Recruiter of the Year.

Vrabel's professional career included 14 seasons, a total of 206 games played with Pittsburgh, New England and Kansas City, 140 starts and enough impressive statistics - 57 sacks, 11 interceptions, 17 forced fumbles and 13 touchdowns receiving (as a tight end), including two in Super Bowls.

3. Mike Chiurco, Defensive Asst. Arizona Cardinals



ike Chiurco begins his third season with the Cardinals and first as defensive assistant/assistant defensive backs after being promoted on 2/4/15. He originally joined the Cardinals staff in February of 2013 as assistant to the head coach.

Prior to coming to Arizona, Chiurco coached at the high school level as the pass game coordinator at Fairfield (Cincinnati, OH) High School in 2012 and for nine seasons at Cuyahoga Falls (OH) High School (2003-11), including the last three years as defensive coordinator. He also previously worked in the Indianapolis Colts scouting department for four years (1999-2003) as a college scout.

Chiurco began his coaching career as a student assistant at his alma mater, Ohio State, in 1989. He spent three years assisting Buckeyes defensive backs and quarterbacks.

Chiurco then left Ohio State and coached quarterbacks and defensive backs at Canton (OH) South High School from 1992-95. He also served as offensive coordinator at Gateway (Kissimmee, FL) High School from 1995-96, coached defensive backs and quarterbacks at Tuscarawas (Zoarville, OH) High School from 1996-97 and worked as the special teams coordinator and defensive backs coach at New Philadelphia (OH) High School in 1998-99. Cardinals Head Coach has stated "Mike is a vital part of the success we have had on defense since he's been in Arizona".

4. Vance Joseph, Defensive Backfield Coach Cincinnati Bengals





The 2014 Bengals ranked tied for third in the NFL in interceptions (20), and the defensive backs had 15 of those picks. A well-balanced effort saw S Reggie Nelson lead the way with four, while S George Iloka, CB Dre Kirkpatrick and CB Adam Jones each had three. It was the first time since 2005 for the Bengals to have four DBs with three or more interceptions.

Also last season, the Bengals ranked third in lowest aggregate passer rating by opponents (75.8), and Cincinnati ranked second in differential between interceptions and TD passes allowed. The Bengals finished with a plus-two differential, as their foes suffered the 20 INTs while completing only 18 TD passes. The only team better in this category was Buffalo at plus-three (19-16), and the Bengals and Bills were the only teams that finished in the plus column.

The DBs played a central role in one other top 10 NFL ranking, a ninth-place finish in lowest opponent completion percentage (60.0). “This team has a great group of players to work with,” Joseph said, “and I consider myself a very positive coach in the way I work with players. I put a lot of stress on great technique.”


One name that is interesting that is leaving a head coaching vacancy is

Mike Pettine, Free Agent



Before being hired by the Cleveland Browns in 2014, Pettine served as the defensive coordinator under Rex Ryan in New York when the Jets defense ranked 1st
in 2009, 3rd in 2010, 5th in 2011, and 8th in 2012.

Pettine was hired as the defensive coordinator in Buffalo under Doug Marrone for the 2013 season when his defense ranked 10th.

As a head coach in Cleveland, Pettine's defenses ranked 23rd in 2014 and 27th in 2015.