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Dave Merritt enters his seventh season as the defensive backs coach with the Kansas City Chiefs in 2025 and his 29th season in the NFL, including a four-year playing career as a linebacker.

Dave Merritt enters his seventh season as the defensive backs coach with the Kansas City Chiefs in 2025 and his 29th season in the NFL, including a four-year playing career as a linebacker.

In 2024, Merritt again helped lead the defensive backs room en route to the team's third-straight Super Bowl appearance (LVII, LVIII and LIX). CB Trent McDuffie continued to be a cornerstone of the room posting 59 tackles (45 solo) and added career-highs with 13 passes defensed and six tackles for loss while adding four quarterback hits. S Justin Reid continued to be a leader in the room as well, putting up the most tackles of the defensive backs with 85 (59 solo), nine passes defensed, five tackles for loss and two quarterback hits. Merritt continued to develop CB Nazeeh Johnson who stepped up and recorded all new career highs with 53 tackles (31 solo, 1.0 sack (-17.0 yards), three passes defensed and three tackles for loss. Rookie DB Jaden Hicks also emerged, leading the defense with three interceptions totaling 50 return yards (long of 47 yards). Hicks also posted five passes defensed and three tackles for loss along with his 24 tackles (19 solo).

In 2023, Merritt and the defensive backs contributed to a defense that was keen on second half shutdowns. In fact, the Chiefs defense allowed the fewest second-half points across the league (126), had three second-half shutouts and allowed no more than 27 points in any game this season – including the postseason. Much of the unit's production was due to CB L'Jarius Sneed and CB Trent McDuffie who became one of the league's top cornerback duos. Sneed had a career-year, locking up many of the NFL's top receivers and leading the defense in interceptions (two) and passes defensed (14). He was the team's fourth-leading tackler with 78 tackles (60 solo) and added five tackles for loss. He had a key forced fumble in the AFC Championship Game, knocking the ball out of Ravens WR Zay Flowers' hands in the endzone for a touchback en route to the team's 17-10 victory. McDuffie was the second-leading tackler with 80 tackles (60 solo) and tied with S Justin Reid with 3.0 sacks (-24.0 yards) while adding nine quarterback pressures, seven passes defensed and five forced fumbles. McDuffie was voted to his first AP All-Pro (first-team) selection. Merritt was also tasked with developing rookie DB Chamarri Conner who logged 28 tackles (24 solo), an interception, a pass defensed and two tackles for loss.

With five defensive back rookies in 2022, no other playoff team had more rookie defensive backs. Under Merritt's tutelage, rookie CBs Jaylen Watson and Joshua Williams both snagged a regular and postseason interception. CB L'Jarius Sneed and S Juan Thornhill led the team with three interceptions a piece, contributing to the defense's 10 interceptions in the final 10 games – including playoffs. Back for his third year, Sneed showed his versatility as a blitzer and recorded a career-high 3.5 sacks en route to the team's Super Bowl LVII victory. Another rookie standout was 2022 first-round draft pick (21st overall) CB Trent McDuffie who battled back from a hamstring injury in Week 1. McDuffie returned after six games, starting the remaining 13 games of the season, and recorded 44 tackles (28 solo), 1.0 sack (-12 yards) and seven passes defensed. The Chiefs acquired S Justin Reid via free agency in 2022. Reid racked up 81 tackles (59 solo), 1.0 sack and seven passes defensed. Rookie CB Jaylen Watson made a name for himself after a momentum-shifting interception during the Week 2 victory over the Chargers. His 99-yard pick-six was the longest go-ahead fourth-quarter touchdown scored by a rookie in NFL history. Through the season, Merritt developed rookie S Bryan Cook who ended up playing 16 games and totaled 27 tackles (19 solo), 1.0 sack and two passes defensed. In the AFC Championship Game his progress showed as he broke up a pass which led to an interception by fellow rookie CB Joshua Williams. The defensive backs helped to allow just 18 opponent plays of 20+ yards in the final eight games, the second fewest in the league.

In 2021, Merritt coached S Tyrann Mathieu to his third Pro Bowl. Mathieu led the team in interceptions with three, including a pick-six. S Dan Sorensen followed up close behind with two interceptions and a pick-six.

In 2020, Merritt coached S Tyrann Mathieu to his second-consecutive first-team AP All-Pro nomination and third of his career, first at the safety position. Mathieu led all NFL safeties with six interceptions in the regular season, adding one in the postseason. Merritt also mentored rookie CB L'Jarius Sneed who showed a lot of potential in the nine games he saw action (six starts), snagging three interceptions, 2.0 sacks (-19.0 yards) and seven passes defensed.

In 2019, Merritt helped coach Mathieu to two AP All-Pro Team nominations, first-team as a defensive back and second-team as a safety. He was also voted by his teammates as the team's most valuable player with the Derrick Thomas award after ranking fourth in the NFL in passes defended amongst safeties with 12. He paired that with 75 tackles (63 solo), four interceptions and 2.0 sacks en route to the Chiefs Super Bowl LIV victory.

Merritt joined Kansas City after spending the 2018 season with the defensive backs at the Arizona Cardinals, where he coached CB Patrick Peterson to his eighth career Pro Bowl. Before the Cardinals, he spent 14 seasons with the New York Giants with stints as a defensive assistant (2004-2005) and secondary/safeties coach (2006-2017). Merritt worked there with the Chiefs current Defensive Coordinator Steve Spagnuolo, where they led a defense that helped win Super Bowl XLII. He also went on to win Super Bowl XLVI, both teams under Head Coach Tom Coughlin.

With the Giants, he coached multiple Pro Bowlers: All-Pro S Antrel Rolle, S Landon Collins, CB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and CB Janoris Jenkins; Collins and Rolle both leading tacklers. During his tenure with the secondary/safeties, the Giants backfield recorded 198 interceptions, which was tied for sixth in the NFL during that time frame.

His coaching career in the NFL began as a defensive assistant/linebacker coach for three seasons with the New York Jets (2001-2003) under Head Coach Herm Edwards and Defensive Coordinator Ted Cottrell. Prior to the Jets, he had two stops at the collegiate level, outside linebacker coach at Tennessee-Chattanooga (1997) and the same position along with defensive ends and defensive line at Virginia Military Institute (1998-2000).

While earning his political science degree, Merritt was a linebacker for the North Carolina State Wolfpack (1989-1992) and was named first-team All-ACC (1992) after leading the conference in tackles. He was then drafted by the Miami Dolphins in the seventh round (1993), and also played three seasons for the Arizona Cardinals. In his last season before transitioning to coaching, he played for NFL Europe's Dusseldorf Rhein Fire, who competed in the World Bowl Championship that year (1997).

A standout player from Millbrook High School in Raleigh, North Carolina, he was inducted to the school's first Hall of Fame class (2012).

Education: North Carolina State (1994). Born: Raleigh, N.C. Family: Wife - Yolonda; Sons - David Jr., Devin, Dawson and Daughters - Drayah and Kiki.