Former Jaguars Coordinator Todd Wash Hired as Lions' Defensive Line Coach

After eight years with the Jacksonville Jaguars, Todd Wash is moving onto his next stop.

The Detroit Lions announced today that Wash, who had been the Jaguars' defensive coordinator for the last five seasons, will be joining new head coach Dan Campbell's staff as defensive line coach.

Wash first arrived in Jacksonville with Gus Bradley in 2013 as Bradley's defensive line coach. Wash then worked his way up to defensive coordinator, being hired in Bradley's final season with the team. Wash then kept the position as the Jaguars hired new head coach Doug Marrone, and he served as the team's coordinator throughout Marrone's entire tenure.

"But Jacksonville’s a very special place. Both my daughters graduated from [high school] here and my son has obviously started high school here, so it’s always going to be a special place if that happens," Wash said before the 2020 season ended. "But it’s part of our business, there’s no doubt. There’s critics all over there if you’re doing well or you’re doing bad. You take it all in stride and you just move on.”

Wash helped the Jaguars have one of the NFL's top defenses in 2017, earning the moniker of "Sacksonville" thanks to their dangerous pass-rush. The defense pushed the Jaguars to the AFC Championship, but the defense faltered in the final quarter against Tom Brady and the New England Patriots and never exactly recovered.

The Jaguars still had a top-five defense in terms of yards and points allowed in 2018, but 2019 began the downturn. As the Jaguars lost more and more defensive stars, the defense got worse and worse.

The Jaguars finished 21st in points allowed and 24th in yards allowed in 2019 but the Jaguars still had a moderately impressive pass-rush. The defense fell off a cliff in 2020, however, as injuries, trades, and relative youth all doomed the unit from the jump. The Jaguars' defense finished 31st in points and yards allowed in 2020, a major factor in the franchise-worst 1-15 record.

Wash will reportedly be succeeded in Jacksonville by Baltimore Ravens defensive line coach Joe Cullen, who is set to be the Jaguars' defensive coordinator under Urban Meyer.