Jaguars Announce New Additions to Coaching Staff

Brief bios of the those new to Jacksonville or recently promoted are outlined below.

Ryan Nielsen begins his first season as the Jaguars defensive coordinator and his eighth season coaching in the NFL. He previously served as defensive coordinator of the Atlanta Falcons (2023) and co-defensive coordinator for the New Orleans Saints (2022). In his lone season with the Falcons, they finished the regular season tied for the second-most forced fumbles in the NFL (18). Atlanta also doubled their sack total from 21 in 2022 to 42 last season. Before Atlanta, Nielsen spent six seasons coaching defense with the Saints. He received his start in coaching as a volunteer assistant at his alma mater, the University of Southern California, in 2002. Nielsen, a Simi Valley, Calif. native started 30 games at defensive tackle at USC from 1998-2001.

Kris Richard will serve as the defensive backs coach for the Jaguars beginning with the 2024 season. Richard has more than 17 years of NFL coaching and playing experience, most recently serving as co-defensive coordinator (alongside Nielsen) and secondary coach for the 2022 New Orleans Saints, who ranked fifth in the NFL in total defense. Originally a third-round pick (85^th overall) by Seattle, Richard played in 38 games at cornerback (with one start) for the Seahawks from 2002-04 before playing one season in San Francisco (2005).

Matt House begins his first season in Jacksonville as the inside linebackers coach. House most recently served a two-year stint (2022-23) as the defensive coordinator/linebackers coach with LSU, during which the Tigers led the SEC in total tackles (2023) and was sixth in total defense (2022). Prior to his time at LSU, House served as linebackers coach for the Kansas City Chiefs for three seasons (2019-2021). He was part of a Kansas City organization that won Super Bowl LIV during the 2019 season and played for the Super Bowl title the following year. House spent three seasons (2016-18)…