Joe Cullen’s name has been circulating in coaching circles lately, and for good reason. The Kansas City Chiefs’ defensive line coach is drawing serious interest as teams look to fill their defensive coordinator vacancies - and now, the Baltimore Ravens have officially entered the mix.
Cullen interviewed with the Ravens for their DC job, a position that would mark a return to familiar territory. He spent five seasons in Baltimore from 2016 to 2020 coaching the defensive line, and he left a strong impression.
If he gets the nod this time around, he’d be stepping into a system that’s already built to compete at a high level - a defense that’s physical, fast, and smart. That’s the kind of environment where a coach like Cullen, who thrives on intensity and fundamentals, could hit the ground running.
This development also has ripple effects in Washington. The Commanders had been linked to Cullen as a possible hire for their own defensive coordinator opening.
But if you’re Cullen and you’re weighing your options, the Ravens offer a more stable situation, a deeper defensive roster, and a system you already know. That’s not a knock on Washington - it’s just the reality of where the two franchises stand right now.
Cullen’s coaching résumé is long and winding, filled with stops at both the college and NFL levels. But what makes his story even more compelling is the personal journey behind it.
He’s been open about his past struggles with alcoholism, and since getting sober in 2006, he’s not only rebuilt his life - he’s steadily climbed the coaching ladder. That kind of perseverance speaks volumes, and it’s part of why teams continue to see him as a leader worth betting on.
Elsewhere around the league, the coaching carousel keeps spinning. The Dolphins, for example, recently interviewed Lions linebackers coach Kelvin Sheppard for their defensive coordinator role.
Sheppard, a former NFL linebacker who spent two seasons with Miami during his playing days, is a rising name in coaching circles. But in the end, the Dolphins went in a different direction, hiring Packers defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley as their new head coach.
That move now opens up a vacancy in Green Bay - and that’s a job that might appeal to more candidates than Washington’s, given the current state of both rosters.
Then there’s Dallas, where the Cowboys made a bit of a surprise hire by bringing in Christian Parker as their new defensive coordinator. At just 34 years old, Parker is getting his first shot at running a defense after two seasons as the Eagles’ defensive passing game coordinator.
It’s a bold move, especially considering the Cowboys already had Al Harris on staff - a respected secondary coach who worked closely with Dan Quinn and knows the system inside and out. It raises the question: why not promote from within?
But clearly, Dallas sees something in Parker’s potential and wanted to go in a fresh direction.
As coaching staffs continue to take shape across the league, one thing is clear - experience, upside, and familiarity with winning cultures are all in high demand. Joe Cullen checks all those boxes. Whether it’s in Baltimore, Washington, or somewhere else entirely, it feels like only a matter of time before he’s calling the shots for an NFL defense once again.