Report: Chargers hiring Renaldo Hill as defensive coordinator
The Chargers have found their new defensive coordinator.
According to Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer, Los Angeles is hiring former Broncos defensive backs coach to serve as the team’s new defensive coordinator.
Hill replaces Gus Bradley, who recently joined Jon Gruden and the Raiders in the same role.
Hill played 10 seasons as a safety, entering the league in 2001 with the Cardinals. He began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Wyoming in 2012. After his time with the Cowboys, Hill served three seasons as the University of Pittsburgh’s defensive backs coach.
Hill broke into the NFL coaching ranks as an assistant defensive backs coach with the Dolphins in 2018.
Following his lone stint with Miami, Hill became the Broncos’ defensive backs coach in 2019. There, he helped Denver rank No. 11 in pass defense. That same season, safeties Justin Simmons and Kareem Jackson were named second-team All-Pro.
This past season, the Broncos ranked No. 16 in that category. However, the secondary was hit with injuries to the majority of their starters and cornerback A.J. Bouye was suspended. On the bright side, Simmons was named to his Pro Bowl.
There’s some familiarity between Hill and head coach Brandon Staley, as the two spent the 2019 season together on Vic Fangio’s defensive staff with the Broncos.
Staley said that he would be the one calling the defensive plays, but Hill knows the defensive system and he has a good track record of developing players in the secondary.
