Chiefs add former Jags DC Joe Cullen as a DL coach

Earlier this week it was announced that the Jacksonville Jaguars would be letting defensive coordinator Joe Cullen go, and as expected, it didn’t take long for him to find a new team.

That team will be the Kansas City Chiefs, who are fresh off a run where they found themselves in the AFC Championship this past season. He’ll be replacing Brendan Daly, who is now set to become the Chiefs’ linebackers coach.

We have named Joe Cullen our Defensive Line Coach and Brendan Daly will coach Linebackers. pic.twitter.com/PQ1oz6c0wR

— Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) February 4, 2022

Cullen, who the Jags hired almost a full year ago, was named a first-year defensive coordinator under former coach Urban Meyer. In the process of the 2021 season, he helped the Jags make notable progress, and though the defensive unit wasn’t elite, they made strides and ranked 20th overall and 23rd against the rush.

Jags team captain Josh Allen was one of the leaders on the team who was on record for saying he wanted to see Cullen back, as did a few others. However, with new head coach Doug Pederson being hired, the Jags seemingly felt good about the candidates he had in mind to replace Cullen.

Cullen has been a hot name this offseason and took a pair of interviews to be a coordinator with the Baltimore Ravens, which is the team he was with before last season, and Indianapolis Colts. Baltimore’s defensive coordinator job ultimately went to former Michigan defensive coordinator Mike McDonald, while the Colts are set to hire former Jags coach Gus Bradley for their vacant role.

Cullen will join a Chiefs team that has notables like Chris Jones and Frank Clark among notables on their defensive line. That said, he should have little issues being successful and could be up for a defensive coordinator role again in no time.