USC Could Turn To The NFL For Its Next Defensive Coordinator

The USC Trojans are still looking for their new defensive coordinator after the departure of D’Anton Lynn to the Penn State Nittany Lions. Lynn spent the 2024 and 2025 season as the defensive coordinator for USC on Coach Lincoln Riley’s staff before deciding to make the move to his alma mater.

With most NFL teams seasons now over, there is shuffling around in their coaching staffs which is leading to big names on the market. While it might be a complete pipe dream to get them to become the Trojans defensive coordinator in 2026 or just flat out unrealistic, it is still worth keeping an eye on.

Don “Wink” Martindale

USC Trojans Lincoln Riley Defensive Coordinator Coaching Hire D'Anton Lynn Mike Tomlin Head Coach NFL Jonathan Gannon — Michigan defensive coordinator Wink Martindale watches a play against Ohio State during the first half at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor on Saturday, Nov. 29, 2025. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Martindale is an interesting candidate. He was the defensive coordinator for the Baltimore Ravens from 2018-2021 and New York Giants from 2022-2023. After his time in New York, Martindale went to college to become the defensive coordinator for the Michigan Wolverines for 2024-2025.

In those two seasons at Michigan, it was clear that his defenses weren’t the reason why Michigan fell short of expectations. After Michigan fired coach Sherrone Moore, they decided not to retain Martindale.

Maritndale will likely get looks to become a defensive coordinator in the NFL again, but USC should see what they can do.

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Jonathan Gannon

Jonathan Gannon was fired after being the head coach of the Arizona Cardinals the past three years. The Cardinals improved from year one of the Gannon era to year two, but completely unraveled in year three, leading to his dismissal.

Prior to his time in Arizona, Gannon was the defensive coordinator for a top 10 Philadelphia Eagles defense in 2021 and 2022. There are coaches who just thrive better as a coordinator and Gannon may fall under this category.

Gannon last was in college as a graduate assistant in 2006 with the Louisville Cardinals.

Mike Tomlin

Now this one is probably not realistic, but fun to think about. Tomlin stepped down as the Pittsburgh Steelers coach after 19 years there. He won a Super Bowl and never had a losing record, but it had been nine years since the Steelers last playoff win and the time to part ways was imminent.

Tomlin is a defensive minded coach that could never quite figure out how to maximize the offensive side of the football in the end. If he just had to focus on the defense at USC, he would be a rockstar.

However, Tomlin is still under contract with the Steelers for another year and him stepping down is a sign that he may just want some time off before getting back into coaching. Also, if he did eventually get back into coaching, it would be hard to see it not as a head coach somewhere after a near two decade run in Pittsburgh.