Stanford Football Has Officially Brought in a Number of Coaches with NFL Experience

Stanford football's coaching staff may be finalized ahead of the 2026 season. Hiring new head coach Tavita Pritchard in November, the Cardinal have been hard at work at building a winning roster for next season, determined to get back into the national spotlight.

And while bringing in new players has been a major focus this offseason, the Cardinal have worked tirelessly on assembling a strong coaching staff to help the rookie head coach in Pritchard find success right away.

On Thursday, the Cardinal announced the official hirings of several coaching staff members, with the most notable being new defensive coordinator, Kris Richard, who was rumored to have the job last month.

Richard officially joins the Cardinal as the defensive coordinator/defensive backs coach and brings extensive NFL experience to the college ranks. This is Richard's first college job since he served as a graduate assistant at USC from 2008-09.

As an NFL coach, Richard gained recognition during his time with the Seattle Seahawks, winning Super Bowl XLVIII as the Seahawks' defensive backs coach before serving as the defensive coordinator for the Legion of Boom from 2015-17.

Richard then bounced around the league, serving as an assistant coach for the Dallas Cowboys, New Orleans Saints and most recently, the Jacksonville Jaguars. At Stanford, Richard will bring his NFL expertise and look to develop the Cardinal defense into one of college football's best.

The Cardinal also finalized the hire of defensive line coach, Jamey Mosley, a former Alabama football standout and the brother of NFL star, C.J. Mosley. This is Mosley's first official coaching job, serving on Alabama's staff since 2021. He first came on as a graduate assistant before becoming a defensive analyst.

Now, Mosley is in charge of the Cardinal's defensive linemen and will help the unit take another step forward in '26.

Also joining the Cardinal is new offensive line coach, Keli'i Kekuewa. A longtime NFL coach as well, where he most recently served as the assistant offensive line coach/run-game specialist for the Jaguars, Kekuewa takes on the task of revamping a Stanford offensive line that has seen lingering inconsistencies in recent seasons.

During his tenure in Jacksonville, Kekuewa was a key reason why the Jaguars finished top-20 in the NFL in 2025 in total rushing. If Kekuewa can work the same magic on The Farm, expect Stanford's offense to look much improved.

Finally, the Cardinal announced the hiring of wide receivers coach, Brian Bratton. Serving on the Indianapolis Colts staff as an offensive quality control coach, working under Colts' current receivers coach and NFL legend, Reggie Wayne, Bratton played a key role in the Colts' offensive improvements over the last few seasons, including helping Michael Pittman Jr. evolve into a true No. 1 wide receiver.

Before joining the Colts' staff in 2022, Bratton served as an assistant at his alma mater, Furman. Now, Bratton will take a new-look Stanford receiving core, and look to help them turn the offense into a national powerhouse.

Stanford's coaching staff certainly boasts a lot of experience, and in a crucial 2026 season, that is as helpful as ever. But first, the Cardinal need to prove that they have what it takes to compete in a very difficult ACC.