Football

Renaldo Hill, the Chargers’ DC, runs off to join Vic Fangio of the Dolphins

Renaldo Hill, the Chargers’ defensive coordinator, is moving to Miami to work with Vic Fangio, the Dolphins’ defensive coordinator.

On Monday, Fangio said that Hill would be joining Miami’s defensive line, but he didn’t say what kind of role he would play. Hill will be the defensive pass-game coordinator for the Dolphins.

“First and foremost, Renaldo’s a good coach,” Fangio said Monday. “Really, a talented coach with a bright future in the NFL. He worked with us for two years in Denver, so his familiarity with me and the system and what we do was important to me. But regardless of that, just his ability to be a great coach is what attracted me to him.”

Derrick Ansley, the Chargers’ secondary coach, will be promoted to defensive coordinator, and Tommy Donatell, the Chargers’ secondary coach. The promotions were first reported by NFL Network.

It is anticipated that Chargers head coach Brandon Staley will continue to call plays.

Out of respect for Hill and Fangio, under whose guidance Staley worked for the Chicago Bears and Denver Broncos for three seasons from 2017 to 2019, Staley allowed Hill, 44, to move to Miami. In 2019 and 2020, Hill served as Fangio’s defensive backs coach for the Broncos.

When the Chargers named him head coach in 2021, Staley hired Hill as defensive coordinator.

Hill spent ten NFL seasons as a defensive back for the Dolphins from 2006 to 2008. In 2018, the Dolphins hired him as an assistant defensive backs coach.

The Bolts’ secondary coach for the past two seasons was 41-year-old Ansley. After two seasons as a defensive coordinator at the University of Tennessee, this will be his first job in the NFL.

The Chargers’ defense has allowed an average of 24.79 points per game, ranking 26th in the NFL over the past two seasons. The Chargers’ defense improved from allowing an average of 22.6 points per game (ranked 21st) to 15 points per game (ranked third) in their final five games of the season.

The Chargers’ coaching staff has been shaken up once more with Hill’s departure. Los Angeles’ 10-7 season came to an end with a disappointing wild-card playoff loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars, blowing a 27-point lead. Kellen Moore, a former offensive coordinator for the Dallas Cowboys, took over for Joe Lombardi when the Chargers fired him. After they fired quarterbacks coach Shane Day, sources told ESPN that they are also in the process of hiring Doug Nussmeier to join their offensive staff.

Last week, Fangio was officially hired as the Dolphins’ new defensive coordinator.