Washington Commanders have hired Joe Whitt’s replacement at defensive coordinator
According to multiple sources, the Commanders have reached the end of their search for a new defensive coordinator to replace Joe Whitt, who was relieved of his play-calling duties in November and fired after the end of the 2025 regular season.
The new DC is Daronte Jones, who spent the past four seasons at the defensive backs coach and the most recent three seasons also as defensive passing game coordinator for the Minnesota Vikings under defensive coordinator Brian Flores. His only defensive play-calling experience came in 2021 as the defensive coordinator at LSU. It is unclear whether defensive play-calling duties will be handled by Jones or head coach Dan Quinn.
Source: Commanders are finalizing a deal to hire Vikings defensive passing game coordinator and defensive backs coach Daronte Jones as their defensive coordinator.
- Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 27, 2026
Jones has been one of Brian Flores' most trusted defensive coaches the past three seasons, and he also has coached... pic.twitter.com/SZKKFocpgO
Jones' coaching career dates back to 2001 when he was a graduate assistant for Lenoir-Rhyne University in North Carolina. He spent several years coaching in high school and small colleges before being hired as the cornerbacks coach at UCLA in 2010. Jones spent a year coaching in the Canadian Football League and several more years coaching in college programs before making his NFL debut as an Assistant DBs coach with the Dolphins in 2016 & 2017. He also spent time as the Bengals cornerbacks coach before his two stints with the Vikings (5 seasons in total).
Jones has coached under Brian Flores, Vance Joseph, Mike Zimmer and Marvin Lewis. Multiple schemes; aggressive.
- John Keim (@john_keim) January 27, 2026
The 47-year-old brings a wide ranging background and a quarter of a century of coaching experience to the Commanders. He is taking over a unit that ranked last in the league in yards allowed and 27th in points allowed in 2025. A complete overhaul of both defensive personnel and scheme are expected ahead of the 26 season.
Things to expect under Daronte Jones in Washington:
- Ryan Fowler (@_RyanFowler_) January 27, 2026
Physical, athletic, tone-setting LBs.
Alignment versatile DBs, instincts from varying levels of a defense (should be more post-snap rotation).
Length & quick-twitch in his edge rushers.
FA and the draft could...
Per ESPN, Jones had interviewed with five teams during this hiring cycle, and a source with one team called his interview impressive.' One person who has coached with Jones said last week that it was just a matter of time' before he landed a defensive coordinator's job.
Jones is a DC area native, having been born in Capitol Heights, Maryland and attended Bishop McNamara High School. Hopefully, his return to the area will mark a major turnaround for the Commanders, who enter the season with two new coordinators, neither of whom has experience as a NFL coordinator or play-caller.
Daronte Jones has worked his way up through multiple Vikings regimes and has been talked about by Harrison Smith specifically as being extremely vital to the operation of the Brian Flores defense. A well-earned promotion in DC https://t.co/HtastxtOVF
- Matthew Coller (@MatthewColler) January 27, 2026
Here's an article in which I talked with Daronte about Harrison Smith, btw https://t.co/RAMoGnmAde
- Matthew Coller (@MatthewColler) January 27, 2026