Sometimes certain players and coaches have a fast rise to the top. When Chip Kelly got hired as the Head Coach of the San Francisco 49ers, it meant that someone was going to have a hard time running the defense as Kelly's offenses get on and off of the field quickly. First they tried to go and get the Linebackers Coach of the Houston Texans in Mike Vrabel, but he would end up turning down the job. It was even thought that they might retain their Defensive Coordinator from 2015, Eric Mangini, but he has instead been released from his contract. So, they bring in the former Defensive Coordinator from the Cleveland Browns from the last two seasons in Jim O'Neil. Let's take a closer look at his resume.
Jim O'Neil's Coaching Past
Since coming to the NFL as a Defensive Quality Control Coach and Defensive Backs Coach for the New York Jets under their Head Coach in Rex Ryan, O'Neil has quickly climbed his way to the top. He went to the Buffalo Bills in 2013 as a linebackers coach and then followed Mike Pettine to the Browns as their defensive coordinator.
Jim O'Neil As A Football Player
He played his High School football underneath Head Coach Mike Pettine Sr. at Central Bucks West HS. But then he went and became a member of the Towson Tigers and played as a starter at Defensive End and was elected as a Defensive Captain for his Senior season. He never made it into the NFL and went straight into coaching, making him one of the youngest Defensive Coordinators in the NFL as he is merely 37 years old. That puts him at an incredibly awesome position as if he builds success here it would become likely that he will become one of the youngest Head Coaches in the NFL.
Welcome To The West Coast Jim
This will be the furthest west Jim has ever coached, because even in his days as a college coach he hadn't made it across the Mississippi River. It will be interesting to see how the hard working, former defensive end from New York, will end up transitioning to the attitudes and style of life in the Bay Area.