The Chargers are turning to a familiar name to guide their defense.
Chris O’Leary, who worked as the Chargers’ safeties coach in 2024 under coach Jim Harbaugh before spending 2025 as the defensive coordinator at Western Michigan, was named the Chargers’ defensive coordinator on Wednesday night.
O’Leary helped guide Western Michigan to a 10-4 record and the Mid-American Conference championship. His defense ranked ninth in the Football Bowl Subdivision and was second in the MAC in scoring defense (17.4 points allowed per game).
Before his stint with the Chargers, O’Leary spent six seasons coaching in different roles at Notre Dame, eventually becoming a defensive backs and safeties coach. He worked under former Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter as a graduate assistant at Georgia State in 2014 and 2015. He played at Indiana State as a wide receiver from 2010-14.
The Chargers allowed just 17.7 points per game — the best mark in the NFL — under O’Leary and Minter in 2024. Led by safety Derwin James Jr., the Chargers had a 75.9 passer rating when targeted, third among NFL safety units in 2024.
The question is whether O’Leary can replicate the success Minter achieved en route to landing a head coaching job with the Baltimore Ravens.
After working together to win a national title at Michigan, the Minter-Harbaugh combination revived a Chargers defense that struggled under previous coach Brandon Staley. Inheriting a team that ranked 28th in yards allowed per game (363) and 24th in points allowed per game (23.4) in 2023, the Chargers moved up to 11th in yards allowed (324) and first in points allowed per game in 2024. Last season, the team was fifth in yards per game (285.2) and ninth in points allowed (20.0).
Helping O’Leary’s cause? Most of the Chargers’ top defensive players are returning.
The team has an estimated $80.5 million in salary-cap space, according to Overthecap.com, and general manager Joe Hortiz said he’s planning to use it. In their first big move of the offseason, the Chargers re-signed Teair Tart to a three-year contract Monday, keeping their anchor on the defensive line.
Re-signing outside linebacker Odafe Oweh will be among the Chargers’ priorities, especially if pending free agent Khalil Mack opts for retirement.
O’Leary isn’t as high-profile a hiring as Chargers offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel, but he stands to take over a defensive unit that could make him look better than a $12,000 designer jacket.