JACKSONVILLE – The Jacksonville Jaguars have finalized new additions to the coaching staff for the 2024 season. New additions and recent promotions include:
Table inside Article
NAME TITLE
Ryan Nielsen Defensive Coordinator
Kris Richard Defensive Backs Coach
Matt House Inside Linebackers Coach
Cory Robinson Defensive Assistant/Cornerbacks Coach
Jeremy Garrett Defensive Line Coach
Mike Gray Assistant Secondary Coach/Defensive Analyst
Mario Jeberaeel Assistant Outside Linebackers Coach
Jerry Mack Running Backs Coach
Greg Austin Assistant Offensive Line Coach
Jamel Mutunga Offensive Quality Control Coach
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 (85th 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) at the University of Kentucky, where he coached Jaguars OLB Josh Allen to SEC Defensive Player of the Year and Bronko Nagurski Award honors.
Cory Robinson arrives in Jacksonville as defensive assistant/cornerbacks coach after most recently serving as a defensive analyst at the University of Tennessee. Before Tennessee, Robinson spent three seasons (2020-22) with the New Orleans Saints, serving as assistant defensive backs coach. In 2022, the Saints ranked second in the NFL in passing defense, allowing 184.4 passing yards per game. Robinson helped the Saints register a top 10 defense in each of his three years in New Orleans and Marshon Lattimore earned Pro Bowl nods in 2020 and 2021.
Jeremy Garrett joins the Jaguars as defensive line coach, bringing over a decade of coaching experience to the team, including two years with the Cleveland Browns. Garrett most recently served as the defensive line coach at Auburn in 2023, coaching defensive tackle Marcus Harris to first-team Associated Press All-SEC and Keldric Faulk to All-SEC Freshman recognitions. Auburn’s defense ranked 7th in the SEC in sacks in 2023. Before Auburn, Garrett coached one of the most productive defensive fronts in college football in 2022, as Liberty led the country in tackles for loss and ranked third in sacks. He was a four-year letterwinner at Ole Miss (2004-07), where Nielsen served as his defensive line coach.
