Spending this season without an NFL gig, Kris Richard will again be paired with Ryan Nielsen in 2024. The two former Saints co-defensive coordinators are reuniting in Jacksonville.
The Jaguars are adding Richard to their staff, KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson tweets. The two worked in New Orleans together from 2021-22. Richard is best known for his time as the Seahawks’ defensive coordinator, and that tenure has helped keep him on HC carousels. The 44-year-old assistant, who interviewed for the Raiders’ HC job this month (though, he did not appear a serious candidate), will resume his career as the Jags retool on defense.
While Richard’s time as Seahawks DC lasted three seasons, he was in Seattle for the Legion of Boom’s entire run. Rising from assistant DBs coach to cornerbacks coach to DBs coach to DC, Richard was the most consistent non-Pete Carroll presence on those coaching staffs. The Earl Thomas–Richard Sherman–Kam Chancellor mentor has not followed Gus Bradley or Dan Quinn up the ladder, but he has continued to be a regular on defensive staffs since his Seattle stay wrapped in 2018.
The Seahawks finished four straight seasons as the NFL’s top scoring defense, following only the 1950s Browns by accomplishing that over a four-season stretch. Coaching in two Super Bowls as a DBs instructor, Richard was in place during the last of those seasons (2015). The Seattle defense has not reached those heights since, and it has trended downward since Richard was fired following the 2017 season. Richard spent two seasons with the Cowboys (2018-19) before resurfacing in New Orleans. This season marked Richard’s second year off in the past five, however; he did not coach during the 2020 campaign.
The Jags are also hiring Cory Robinson as cornerbacks coach, Wilson adds. This continues the Saints reunion shaping up in Jacksonville. Robinson spent the past season with the Tennessee volunteers but worked under Nielsen and Richard with the Saints in 2022 as assistant DBs coach. Robinson held that role in New Orleans for three years.
I remember when Richard was the next hot name in the head coaching rumor mill. It seemed like only a matter of time until he was hired. After his Cowboys run, though, Richard seemed to disappear. I’m not certain why, but it would be interesting to see if his stock recovers if he has a good year in Jacksonville.