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UPDATE: Adam Schefter now reports that Jack Del Rio has actually been hired by Rivera:
New Washington HC Ron Rivera has hired former Raiders’ and Jaguars’ HC Jack Del Rio as the Redskins’ new defensive coordinator, per source. Rivera’s first big coaching hire in Washington.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 1, 2020
Jack Del Rio is a former Jacksonville Jaguars and Oakland Raiders head coach who has spent more than three decades in the National Football League as a coach and player, has most recently been working with ESPN as an NFL analyst.
I’ll be back! Cheers and Happy New Year https://t.co/YqoTrNwQ2G
— Jack Del Rio (@coachdelrio) December 31, 2019
A 12-year NFL head coach, Del Rio led the Jacksonville Jaguars for nine seasons (2003-11) and, more recently, the Oakland Raiders (2015-17), guiding his teams to three playoff appearances and 97 victories.
Del Rio began his coaching career in 1997 as an assistant strength coach for the New Orleans Saints. He advanced to linebackers coach with the Saints (1998) and the Baltimore Ravens (1999-2001) – where he helped shape the Ravens’ Super Bowl XXXV-winning defense – before assuming the role of defensive coordinator with the Carolina Panthers in 2002. In between head coaching stints, Del Rio served as defensive coordinator (2012-14) and interim head coach for the Denver Broncos (2013).
As a player, Del Rio was an accomplished NFL linebacker. Over 11 years he played 160 regular-season games for the Saints (1985-86), Kansas City Chiefs (1987-88), Dallas Cowboys (1989-91) and Minnesota Vikings (1992-95). He amassed 1,005 career tackles, 13 sacks and 13 interceptions.
Selected by New Orleans in the third round of the 1985 NFL Draft, Del Rio earned the Saints’ Rookie of the Year award and was a member of the NFL’s All-Rookie Team. He led the Vikings in tackles three years in a row and also earned a trip to the Pro Bowl in 1994.
In 12 seasons as a head coach, Del Rio had a 93-94 record, finishing 68-71 in Jacksonville and 25-23 in Oakland. Like Ron Rivera, Del Rio is known as a disciplinarian who is popular with his players.
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Source: Pro Football Reference
In his 4 seasons as defensive coordinator, his units finished ranked 2nd or 3rd in yards three times, and top five in points allowed twice. His units are typically very strong against the run, which should prove handy with the Redskins defense and playing in the NFC where the team faces Saquon Barkley and Ezekiel Elliott twice each every season.
Soon-to-be Redskins’ HC Ron Rivera is expected to target former Jaguars’ and Raiders’ HC Jack Del Rio as his new defensive coordinator in Washington, per sources. He is the leading candidate.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) December 31, 2019
The Ron Rivera-Jack Del Rio team in Washington will be a strong one. In 2002, Del Rio took over the league’s worst defense in Carolina and turned it into the NFL’s second-ranked unit; in 2012 he took Broncos from 20th-ranked defense to second.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) December 31, 2019