The Los Angeles Chargers are undergoing a shift in the defensive coaching room.
NFL Network Insider Tom Pelissero reported Monday that the Chargers plan to promote Derrick Ansley to defensive coordinator and Tommy Donatell to secondary coach/pass game coordinator, per sources informed of the situation.
The Chargers announced Ansley's promotion on Feb. 27.
The move comes as Renaldo Hill, who had been the Chargers' DC the past two seasons, joins the Miami Dolphins staff on a multi-year deal under new coordinator Vic Fangio. L.A. allowed Hill out of his contract to join Fangio as the Fins' defensive backs coach/passing game coordinator.
The moves allow Chargers head coach Brandon Staley to hang on to two up-and-coming young coaches who were popular during this hiring cycle.
Ansley spent two seasons with the University of Tennessee as defensive coordinator and DBs coach in 2019-2020. He coached defensive backs for the Chargers for the past two seasons.
Donatell, the son of former Vikings defensive coordinator Ed Donatell, spent the past two seasons as the Chargers' assistant secondary coach. He previously worked in Seattle as a defensive quality control coach from 2017-2020.
