Kris RhimJan 28, 2026, 11:58 PM ET
- Kris Rhim is a reporter for NFL Nation at ESPN. Kris covers the Los Angeles Chargers, including coach Jim Harbaugh's franchise-altering first season (https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/41068072/los-angeles-chargers-2024-preview-jim-harbaugh-culture). In Kris' free time, he lives his NBA dreams at men's leagues across Los Angeles.
LOS ANGELES -- The Chargers have hired Western Michigan's Chris O'Leary as their new defensive coordinator, the team announced Wednesday night.
O'Leary replaces Jesse Minter, who left last week to become coach of the Baltimore Ravens. The hiring comes two days after the Chargers named Mike McDaniel their new offensive coordinator.
The Chargers also hired Butch Barry as their offensive line coach Wednesday, a source told ESPN, confirming news first reported by NFL Network.
O'Leary returns to the Chargers after coaching safeties in the 2024 season. In his lone season at Western Michigan, his defense ranked ninth in the FBS and second in the Mid-American Conference in scoring defense (17.4 points allowed per game). It also was the MAC's second-best unit in total net yards allowed per game (305.5), which ranked 19th in the nation.
Before the Chargers and Western Michigan, O'Leary spent six seasons at Notre Dame, starting as a defensive analyst before eventually becoming defensive backs and safeties coach, where he coached current Chargers cornerback Cam Hart.
O'Leary will be responsible for sustaining what has been one of the NFL's best defenses for the past two seasons under Minter.
Linebacker Daiyan Henley expressed excitement over O'Leary's hire, posting on X, "The vibes are up," shortly after the team's announcement. Also voicing their support were safeties Tony Jefferson and Elijah Molden. In 2024, with O'Leary coaching the position, Molden posted career highs in interceptions (3), pass deflections (7), tackles (75) and fumble recoveries (2).
Last year, Minter guided the Chargers to the NFL's fifth-ranked defense (285.2 yards per game). In 2024, Minter's first season in Los Angeles, the Chargers led the league with the fewest points allowed per game (17.7).
When Minter arrived in L.A., he was taking over one of the league's worst defenses, which in three years under former coach Brandon Staley ranked 30th in yards allowed per play (5.7), points (24.8) and rushing yards per game (134). In two seasons under Minter, the Chargers ranked second in QBR allowed (50.0), third in points (18.9) and seventh in yards per play (5.2).
O'Leary got his start in coaching under Minter, as a graduate assistant at Georgia State in the 2014 and 2015 seasons, when Minter was the school's defensive coordinator.
