Reid Adds Another Assistant Coach, This Time to Defense

Merritt gets help

Dave Merritt, the Chiefs’ respected defensive backs coach since 2019, isn’t going anywhere. He’ll maintain the same title and still have oversight of Kansas City’s secondary.

According to the team, the move is similar to 2021, when Reid brought in Donald D’Alesio to assist secondary and cornerbacks coach Sam Madison. After Madison left to join Mike McDaniel’s staff in Miami, Reid promoted D’Alesio to safeties coach in 2022.

What the move means

It’s an important move because the Chiefs could be losing three of their four primary starters from the 2025 season. Cornerback Jaylen Watson and safety Bryan Cook are expected to be among the first players to sign with other teams when free agency begins March 9.

Meanwhile, cornerback Trent McDuffie is the subject of trade rumors as the Chiefs could seek draft-pick compensation for a player who’s due a significant contract extension. Before restructuring Patrick Mahomes’ contract this week, the Chiefs were in the worst salary-cap situation in the NFL.

It also allows Merritt to spend more time with younger talent, like cornerback Nohl Williams.

Curtis comes to Kansas City after serving as defensive passing game coordinator for the Cowboys in 2025. Prior to that, he coached the Chicago Bears’ safeties for then-head coach Matt Eberflus.

After this past season, Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer fired Eberflus, his defensive coordinator, and much of the team’s defensive staff, including Curtis.

Curtis has 26 years of coaching experience, including the past 20 at the NFL level. He’s coached under Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo on two occasions, including his first NFL job. Tom Coughlin and Spagnuolo gave Curtis that role in 2006, hiring him as the Giants’ defensive quality control coach. After three years in that role, including the team’s 2007 Super Bowl-winning season, Spagnuolo brought Curtis to St. Louis when Spagnuolo became head coach of the Rams.

Curtis also has experience with the defensive backs in Seattle, in the later stages of the Legion of Boom days. He served as Seattle’s assistant secondary/safeties coach from 2015-16, defensive backs coach in 2017 and defensive passing game coordinator from 2018-21.

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