Defensive Line Coach – Aaron Whitecotton
Whitecotton spent the 2020 season as the 49ers' assistant defensive line coach, his first with the team. He was the Bills' assistant D-line coach from 2018-19. In 2019, the Bills defense finished No. 3 overall, allowing 298.3 Yds/G. Buffalo's defensive line had multiple players with career highs in sacks including Jordan Phillips (9.5) and Shaq Lawson (6.5). Before joining the Bills, Whitecotton spent four seasons with the Jaguars as an assistant DL coach (2016) and defensive assistant (2013-15) where he overlapped with Saleh.
Assistant Defensive Line – Nate Ollie
Ollie spent the past two seasons with the Eagles after serving as the defensive line coach at Eastern Kentucky in 2018. In 2019, Ollie helped Fletcher Cox earn his fifth career Pro Bowl as Philadelphia's defense ranked No. 3 against the run (90.4 Yds/G). In '19, Brandon Graham's 8.5 sacks were the second most of his career and both Derek Barnett (6.5) and Josh Sweat (5.0) had career highs in sacks.
Defensive Assistant – Chip Vaughn
Vaughn's first season with the Jets was the 2020. Prior to the Green & White, he worked with defensive backs at Air Force, Fayetteville State and Winston-Salem State. He was selected to the 2020 American Football Coaches Association 35 Under 35 Coaches Leadership Institute. A Bill Walsh Diversity Coaching Fellowship coach with New Orleans during training camp in 2018, Vaughn was also one of 15 coaches selected to participate in the 2018 NFL-NCAA Coaches Academy.
Defensive Assistant – Ricky Manning Jr.
A third-round pick of the Panthers in 2003, Manning Jr. six seasons in the NFL at cornerback and one season in the UFL. He had 268 tackles, 4 sacks, 5 fumble recoveries, 14 INTs and 3 TDs.
Defensive Assistant – Hayes Pullard
Pullard spent the 2020 season at USC, his alma mater, as a quality control analyst. A former seventh-round pick in 2015, he played five seasons with five teams in the NFL at LB and had 114 tackles, 1 INT and 1 fumble recovery. Pullard played under Saleh in Jacksonville from 2015-16.