Chiefs Defensive Staff Will Have New Look

In a flurry of moves, Kansas City Chiefs Defensive Coordinator Steve Spagnuolo is losing a coach to an AFC Rival but adding two more to his staff for the 2025 season.

At some point, NFL teams would start raiding the Chiefs coaching staff. That began on Wednesday when assistant secondaries coach Donald D’Alesio was hired as the new secondaries coach of the Baltimore Ravens.

D’Alesio worked closely with Dave Merritt, who appears to be staying with the Chiefs for the 2025 season. He had been considered for some defensive coordinator jobs, but staying in Kansas City is the best option as he is the highest-paid at his position.

In other news, Matt House is returning to the Kansas City Chiefs as a special assistant to Spags. He won a Super Bowl with the Chiefs in 2019 and spent two years as defensive coordinator for LSU before working with the Jacksonville Jaguars this past season. It’s not known what his role will be in Kansas City.

Lastly, the Chiefs are expected to hire Jackson State linebackers coach Chris Orr to become a defensive quality control coach for Spags. He has no NFL experience but has quickly moved up the coaching ranks. After starting as an assistant at Wisconsin in 2021 as a Director of Player development, he moved to Jackson State as the linebackers coach last season.

As the Chief’s new linebackers coach, he brings a younger approach to a unit that could see significant changes if the team does not retain free-agent linebacker Nick Bolton.

To this point, the Chiefs are not rumored to be making any changes to the offensive staff, but there is some chatter Head Coach Andy Reid might consider bringing in some younger coaches. Among one position to look for might be long-time offensive line coach Andy Heck, who has struggled to develop offensive lineman and their ability to fit the Chief’s schemes, both running and passing the ball.

Stay tuned to Chiefs Blitz for the latest offseason moves.