KC Chiefs' Joe Cullen Reportedly On 'Several' Radars for Defensive Coordinator Job
The Kansas City Chiefs are officially down in Las Vegas, with Super Bowl LVIII's matchup against the San Francisco 49ers on the horizon. While winning another championship is at the forefront of the team's focus, Kansas City may have to prepare for a member of its coaching staff getting poached not too long after Sunday's game.
Per a recent report by Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports, Chiefs defensive line coach Joe Cullen is a candidate for "several" defensive coordinator openings. Jones mentioned the Seattle Seahawks and the University of Michigan, as well as the Washington Commanders (who are now hiring Joe Whitt Jr.).
Cullen, who is wrapping up his second season with the Chiefs organization, has been around football for decades. The 56-year-old enjoyed a nice collegiate career at the University of Massachusetts and then coached there during the early 1990s. Over the years, he's bounced around the college ranks and also spent time with six different NFL teams. Cullen has experience as a defensive coordinator, as he served in that position with the Jacksonville Jaguars back in 2021 prior to coming to Kansas City. That season, Jacksonville ranked 28th in points per drive and 20th in overall yardage surrendered. While those numbers don't represent a league-average unit, the defense was undoubtedly improved over the year before.
Should Cullen depart and get back into the world of coordinating, it'd be a notable loss for the Chiefs. In each of his seasons with the team, Cullen has turned the Kansas City front into one of the more impressive ones in the NFL. In addition to ranking highly in statistics like sacks, pressures, quarterback hits and more in 2022-23, that success has parlayed itself into more production this season. Led by Chris Jones, George Karlaftis and others, the Chiefs ranked second in sacks during the 2023-24 campaign.
Both the Seahawks and Wolverines jobs make sense for Cullen. With Seattle recently hiring Mike Macdonald as their head coach, his ties to Cullen from their time together with the Baltimore Ravens make him a natural fit for a reunion. Under new head coach Sherrone Moore, Michigan is looking to replace Jesse Minter. Expressing interest in someone of Cullen's status is a wise approach.
Cullen has yet to reportedly interview for either opening, which is to be expected considering the task he has at hand this week. If there is any level of mutual interest, though, this is something to monitor as the NFL postseason comes to a close.
