Michigan considers Super Bowl assistant for DC job

As changes unfold within the Michigan football coaching staff after Jim Harbaugh and some of his assistants left, new head coach Sherrone Moore is tasked with restructuring his team. Moore is currently focusing on recruiting a coach from the upcoming Super Bowl to potentially join as part of the staff. CBS Sports reports that Michigan is looking at Joe Cullen, the defensive line coach for the Kansas City Chiefs, as a potential candidate for the defensive coordinator position. However, the Wolverines may face competition as Cullen is also being considered for the defensive coordinator roles by two other NFL teams, the Seahawks and Commanders.

Current Michigan defensive coordinator Jesse Minter is expected to leave the program and join Jim Harbaugh at the L.A. Chargers in the same role. This departure will create a significant vacancy within the coaching staff, especially considering Minter’s defense achieved the top rank in college football during the recent national championship campaign.

Cullen’s coaching journey began in college, where he held the position of defensive coordinator at Richmond and Indiana before transitioning to the role of defensive line coach at LSU. Following a period as a defensive assistant at Illinois, Cullen ventured into the NFL with Detroit and subsequently worked with Cleveland, Jacksonville, Tampa Bay, and Baltimore. In 2021, he served as the defensive coordinator for Urban Meyer’s Jacksonville Jaguars.

The AFC champion, Kansas City Chiefs, excelled defensively, ranking second in the league in both yards and points allowed.