Chiefs Retain Matt House, Promote Him to Outside Linebackers Coach
The Kansas City Chiefs made a strategic decision to keep Matt House on their coaching staff despite multiple interview requests from other teams. The veteran NFL coach has been promoted to outside linebackers coach, filling the void left by Rod Wilson’s departure to the Arizona Cardinals.
Chiefs Block Interview Requests to Retain House
According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, the Chiefs blocked multiple interview requests for House during this hiring cycle. The organization viewed him as too valuable to lose, particularly given the recent changes to their defensive coaching staff.
House will now take over as outside linebackers coach, a role that became available after Wilson accepted the inside linebackers coach position with the Cardinals. The move represents a homecoming of sorts for House, who previously coached Kansas City’s inside linebackers from 2019 to 2021.
House’s NFL Coaching Background
House brings extensive experience to his new role. During his first stint with the Chiefs, he worked with linebackers like Anthony Hitchens, Damien Wilson, Nick Bolton and Willie Gay Jr., helping the team secure a Super Bowl LIV championship.
After leaving Kansas City in 2021, House spent two seasons as defensive coordinator and linebackers coach at LSU before joining the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2024. In Jacksonville, he coached a productive linebacker duo in Devin Lloyd and Foyesade Oluokun. Lloyd recorded a team-high 113 tackles, while Oluokun finished close behind with 108.
House returned to Kansas City in 2025 as a senior defensive assistant, working closely with defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo and the rest of the coaching staff.
Wilson Heads to Arizona
The Cardinals finalized the hiring of Wilson as their inside linebackers coach, according to CBS Sports’ Matt Zenitz. Wilson spent four years with Kansas City, including two seasons as outside linebackers coach after being promoted from defensive assistant in 2024.
A former NFL linebacker himself, Wilson played under Chiefs special teams coordinator Dave Toub with the Chicago Bears. He originally joined Kansas City’s coaching staff in 2017 as an assistant special teams coach under Brock Olivo before leaving to coach at his alma mater, South Carolina. Wilson returned to the Chiefs in 2022.
Strategic Staff Continuity
The promotion of House fits Kansas City’s offseason theme of maintaining stability while adding veteran leadership to key positions. House will work alongside defensive line coach Brendan Daly and is expected to collaborate closely with defensive quality control coach Chris Orr, who also has a background in coaching linebackers.
The Chiefs have already announced seven new coaching hires for 2026, including DeMarco Murray as running backs coach, Chad O’Shea as wide receivers coach and Andre Curtis as safeties and defensive backs coach. Terry Bradden Jr. returns as assistant defensive line coach, while Nate Pagan and CJ Cox join as offensive and defensive quality control coaches, respectively.
By retaining House and blocking external interview requests, the Chiefs signal their commitment to preserving institutional knowledge on the defensive side of the ball as they pursue another championship run.
