Bob

Sutton

Sutton, who served as Jets defensive coordinator from 2006-2008 and Chiefs defensive coordinator from 2013-2018, will join Urban Meyers’ staff in Jacksonville. He was most recently a senior defensive assistant for the Falcons. Sutton’s KC defenses were regularly near the top of the league in takeaways and points scored. Postseason defensive lapses eventually cost Sutton his job. He’ll work with Meyer to improve one of the NFL’s most abysmal defenses.

Sutton was fired after six years in charge of the Chiefs’ defense just a couple weeks ago. Coach Dan Quinn is expected to work as the defensive coordinator this season and call the plays, but Sutton should play a major role in game planning as well as helping with “in-game strategy, clock management, time-out usage, and replay review.” Sutton oversaw a defense which was routinely near the top of the league in takeaways during his time in Kansas City.

Sutton had been Andy Reid’s defensive coordinator for Reid’s entire six-year tenure in Kansas City, but his defense increasingly became a laughingstock as Reid continued to power up on offense. Per NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport, his firing comes after Reid and company “talked with players and coaches.” The takeaway was apparently that Sutton’s “lack of adjustments” were a “non-stop frustration.” The Chiefs have seen some talent go out of the door on Sutton’s side of the ball, but he still had enough to work with to be better. With the Chiefs in the midst of a Super Bowl window, replacing Sutton will be an attractive job offer.

No decisions have been made yet, but Sutton is understandably on the hot seat after his unit developed into the Chiefs’ Achilles’ heel. Kansas City finished 30th in Football Outsiders’ defensive DVOA in 2017, and 26th in 2018. In fairness to Sutton, the Chiefs’ defensive talent has eroded in recent years.

Sutton caught some flak after the Chiefs’ disappointing playoff exit, but Reid says he never considered firing the coordinator. “There’s nothing going on there,” Reid said. "[Replacing Sutton] is not where I’m at or have ever been.” Sutton’s defense took a step back last season, but he has proven to be an above-average coordinator. With Eric Berry back in the fold, the defense should rebound in 2018.