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Brendan Daly begins his eighth season with Kansas City in 2026 and his 21st season in the NFL. He spent his first three seasons with the Chiefs coaching the defensive line before transitioning to linebackers coach in 2022.

Brendan Daly begins his eighth season with Kansas City in 2026 and his 21st season in the NFL. He spent his first three seasons with the Chiefs coaching the defensive line before transitioning to linebackers coach in 2022.

In 2025, Daly was a part of a defensive unit that ranked top 10 in a multitide of categories. Across the league, the defense ranked first in opponent fourth-down conversion rate (.261), second in opponent plays of 10+ yards (169), sixth in opponent points per game (19.3), eighth in opponent redzone scoring (.529) and ninth in opponent rushing yards per game (105.7). At the helm of the linebacker unit, Daly helped LB Nick Bolton produce one of his best seasons as Bolton was tied for sixth in the league in total tackles with 154 (73 solo), while also recording 10 tackles for loss, seven quarterback hits, six passes defensed, 1.0 sack (-8.0 yards), one interception and one forced fumble. Playing alongside Bolton, LB Drue Tranquill was third on the team in tackles with 103 (55 solo), while also tallying 10 tackles for loss, 2.0 sacks (-13.0 yards), one pass defensed, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery.

In 2024, Daly coached the linebackers to another successful year en route to the club's third-straight Super Bowl appearance (LVII, LVIII and LIX), ultimately falling to the Philadelphia Eagles after posting a franchise-best 15-2 regular season record. Daly's unit was highlighted by elite tackling with two of the defense's top three tackle leaders coming from Daly's room. LB Nick Bolton led the defense with 106 tackles (73 solo) and added 3.0 sacks (-28.0 yards), 11 tackles for loss and six passes defensed. LB Drue Tranquill was close behind with 94 tackles (54 solo), 2.0 sacks (-11.0), nine quarterback hits and four tackles for loss. Daly also continued to develop LB Leo Chenal who had a standout season with 53 tackles (35 solo), 1.0 sack, three forced fumbles, three passes defensed and four tackles for loss.

Daly's linebackers unit had one of its most impactful years in 2023, helping the club to their second-straight Super Bowl title (LVII and LVIII). Daly's unit helped the defense to allow no more than 27 points the entire season (including postseason) and allowed the fewest second-half points league wide (126) with three second-half shutouts. LB Nick Bolton again was a dominant force. Despite playing in just eight regular season games due to injury, Bolton was the defense's fifth-leading tackler with 60 tackles (38 solo) and was the leading tackler in Super Bowl LVIII with 13 (five solo). Daly welcomed LB Drue Tranquill to the unit and tutored him to the third-most tackles on the defense with 79 (54 solo). Tranquill had the most sacks of any non-defensive line position with 4.5 (-19.0 yards) and added seven quarterback hits, seven tackles for loss and two forced fumbles, putting the exclamation point on his first year as a member of the Chiefs. Daly continued to develop second year LB Leo Chenal who made big plays in key moments, adding 3.0 sacks himself (-17.0 yards) with 57 tackles (22 solo). LB Willie Gay and LB Nick Bolton both added an interception to their seasons.

In his first year as linebackers coach in 2022, Daly helped further develop second-year LB Nick Bolton. Bolton took over as the team's defensive green dot and went on to lead the team in tackles and break the Chiefs single season tackle record with 180 tackles (108 solo). Under Daly's direction, Bolton recorded nine games with 10+ tackles, the most 10+ tackle games in a single season in team history. Bolton highlighted his historic season with a fumble recovery in Super Bowl LVII that he took 36-yards to the house to tie the Chiefs and Eagles 14-14 in the eventual Chiefs victory. He was voted by his teammates to be a playoff captain. LB Willie Gay ranked third on the team with 88 tackles (51 solo). Gay notched career highs in sacks (2.5, -8.0 yards), passes defensed (eight) and quarterback hits (four). With Daly's guidance, rookie LB Leo Chenal also developed throughout the year playing in all 17 games (eight starts) and logged 29 tackles (16 solo), three quarterback hits and three tackles for loss. Bolton and Gay also accounted for three of the team's 11 interceptions in the regular season (Bolton - 2; Gay - 1).

In his third year with the Chiefs, Daly oversaw a defensive line led by DT Chris Jones and DE Frank Clark. Jones led the team in sacks with 9.0 (-65.5 yards) en route to his third Pro Bowl selection. Clark ranked second on the team with 4.5 sacks (-23.5). Both DE Mike Danna and DT Derrick Nnadi posted career highs in sacks during the 2021 season with 3.0 each. Under Daly's direction, the Chiefs defensive line tied for eighth in quarterback hurries.

In 2020, Daly led the Chiefs defensive front featuring Pro Bowlers Jones and Clark who were ranked first and second on the team in sacks with 7.5 (-28.0 yards) and 6.0 (-49.0), respectively helping them reach their second-consecutive Super Bowl appearance. Jones was named to the AP All-Pro (second-team) and the Pro Bowl for the second time in his career.

In his first season with the Chiefs in 2019, Daly oversaw a defensive line unit who ranked first in the NFL in passes defensed with 16. During Week 7, the Chiefs defense tallied 9.0 sacks against the Denver Broncos with 5.0 of the 9.0 sacks coming from the defensive line (DE Alex Okafor - 2.0; Clark - 2.0 & DE Emmanuel Ogbah - 1.0). Daly helped Jones and Clark to their first Pro Bowl nominations.

Daly spent four seasons as the defensive line coach (2015-18) for the New England Patriots. In those four seasons, his defensive line was a part of a defense that was top 10 in stopping the run. He was hired in New England in 2014 as a defensive coaching assistant before being promoted to defensive line coach in 2015.

Before his time with the Patriots, Daly had two stints with the Minnesota Vikings as a defensive assistant/defensive line coach (2006-08) and defensive line coach (2012-13) and made the playoffs two times (2008, 2012). During his first tenure, the Vikings became the first team in NFL history to lead the league in rushing defense for three consecutive seasons (2006-08), holding opponents to under 75 yards rushing per game.

Daly also spent three seasons (2009-11) with Chiefs Defensive Coordinator and then-Rams Head Coach Steve Spagnuolo as the defensive line coach in St. Louis. In 2011, he coached DE Chris Long to a career-best 13.0 sacks (-86.0 yards). Under Daly's leadership in 2010, the Rams had 43.0 sacks (-290.0 yards) as a team, which ranked seventh-most in the NFL.

Before breaking into the NFL ranks, Daly had multiple stops at the collegiate level (1998-05). He was the defensive line coach at Villanova in 2005 and the tight ends coach at Illinois State in 2004. He was an assistant strength and conditioning coach at Oklahoma State in 2003 after serving as a graduate assistant from 2001-02. In 2000, Daly was a graduate assistant at Maryland after coaching tight ends at Villanova in 1999. He had his first collegiate coaching job at his alma mater, Drake University, where he coached tight ends in 1998. He began his coaching career at Ridgewood High School in New Port Richey, Fla., in 1997 after graduating from Drake, where he played tight end.

Education: Drake University (1997). Born: Chicago, Ill. Family: Wife - Keely. Son - Liam and Daughters - Ciara and Avelin.