Colts to hire Charlie Partridge as DL coach

The Indianapolis Colts are expected to hire University of Pittsburgh defensive line coach Charlie Partridge in the same role, according to reports Monday.

One of the top defensive line coaches throughout the entire country, Partridge will fill the role vacated by Nate Ollie, whose contract with the Colts was not renewed following the 2023 season.

Football Scoop was the first to report the news that Partridge will be joining the Colts coaching staff.

Pitt head coach Pat Narduzzi also released a statement Monday.

Thank you, @CoachPartridge pic.twitter.com/meFZMMaWps

— Pat Narduzzi (@CoachDuzzPittFB) February 5, 2024

Partridge has been around college football for a while. A product of Drake University and Iowa State University, he got his coaching career started as a grad assistant at both colleges. He spent two years at Drake (1996-1997) and two years at Iowa State (1998-1999). He was the director of football operations at Iowa State for the following two years (2000-2001).

Partridge got his first gig as a defensive line coach with Eastern Illinois (2002) while also serving as the linebackers coach. He then joined Pittsburgh as the defensive ends coach (2003-2005), the defensive line coach and special teams coordinator (2006) and the linebackers coach and special teams coordinator (2007).

Partridge then joined Wisconsin as the defensive line coach and special teams coordinator (2008-2010) and then as the assistant head coach, co-defensive coordinator and defensive line coach (2011-2012).

He then moved onto Arkansas as the assistant head coach and defensive line coach (2013) before beginning his only tenure as a head coach at Florida Atlanta (2014-2016). He went 9-27 during his three seasons as the head coach.

After his stint with Florida Atlanta, Partridge went back to Pittsburgh as the defensive line coach (2017) under Narduzzi. He then was promoted to the assistant head coach role as well as the defensive line coach (2018-2023).

The Panthers have ranked in the top five in terms of sacks for four consecutive seasons under Partridge from 2019-2022.

This is the first NFL job of Partridge’s career.