The Kansas City Chiefs have a few changes to their coaching staff on the defensive side of the ball following the retirement of veteran outside linebackers coach Ken Flajole.
Reid updated media members on the changes to the coaching staff on Monday.
"Ken Flajole did retire," Reid confirmed. "We were able to move Rod Wilson into that position. Alex Whittingham, likewise, will take a little bit bigger role from his position."
In addition to the in-house promotions, Reid announced that one external candidate had been hired as a defensive quality control coach.
"We hired Louie Addazio at that quality control position on defense," Reid said. "Louie has a bunch of experience coaching. He also has a flavor that he's been an offensive line coach at the major college level. That'll give us some good and productive information for the defense moving forward. Able to add some good quality into the mix here."
Chiefs promote Rod Wilson to outside linebackers coach
Wilson enters his sixth season with the Chiefs and first as a full-time position coach. For the past two seasons, he held the title of defensive assistant in Kansas City. From 2017-2019 he worked alongside Dave Toub as an assistant special teams coach. He spent the 2020 season coaching linebackers at his alma mater, South Carolina. In the 2021 season, he coached inside linebackers at Coastal Carolina. A former seventh-round pick in the 2005 NFL draft, Wilson played six years in the NFL for the Chicago Bears, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Jacksonville Jaguars.
Chiefs promote Alex Whittingham to defensive assistant
A former special teams ace for the Utah Utes, Whittingham enters his seventh season with Kansas City in 2024. He spent the past six seasons as a defensive quality control coach. He also previously held the title of defensive assistant during the 2018 NFL season, which was his first year coaching with the team after finishing his college career. During each of his seasons, he's worked closely with the linebackers, including outside linebackers in Bob Sutton's defense in 2018. He'll be working closely with Steve Spagnuolo's 4-3 outside linebacker group in a greater capacity per Coach Reid.
Chiefs add Louie Addazio as defensive quality control coach
An outside addition to the Chiefs, Addazio has coached in several different capacities in college football since 2016. He spent three seasons as an assistant at Ohio State before stops in Bowling Green, Colorado State, Nevada, and most recently Texas A&M. He's often coached under his father, Steve Addazio, who was also his coach as a player at Boston College. Louie has coached tight ends and offensive line in college football, but this will be his first time dipping his toes into the defensive side of the ball. Reid seems to think this will provide a unique perspective to the defensive quality control position.
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