Ex-NFL Coach Jack Del Rio Lands New Coaching Job With Wisconsin

The Badgers are reportedly adding the football lifer to their staff.

Sep 10, 2023; Landover, Maryland, USA; Washington Commanders defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio react during the first half against the Arizona Cardinals at FedExField. / Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports

In its quest to make a year two leap under coach Luke Fickell, Wisconsin is reportedly turning to a familiar NFL name.

The Badgers are hiring ex-NFL coach Jack Del Rio as a senior advisor to Fickell, according to a Thursday afternoon report from Bruce Feldman of The Athletic.

Del Rio, 61, most recently served as the defensive coordinator of the Washington Commanders from 2020 to 2023. His tenure was marked by on-field inconsistency—the Commanders fielded a top-five total defense in 2022 and the league's worst total defense in '23—and off-field controversy.

This will be the first college coaching gig for the USC product, who was a consensus All-American linebacker with the Trojans in 1984.

SOURCE: Longtime NFL coach Jack Del Rio is joining Wisconsin as Senior Advisor to the Head Coach. He will assist both sides of the ball, personnel and be there for Luke Fickell to bounce ideas off of. The 61-yr-old was the head coach w/ the Raiders & Jaguars and been a DC for the…

— Bruce Feldman (@BruceFeldmanCFB) August 29, 2024

As a professional, Del Rio made the Pro Bowl with the Minnesota Vikings in 1994. He worked parts of 12 seasons as a head coach, leading the Jacksonville Jaguars (in 2005 and 2007) and Oakland Raiders (2016) to the postseason.

Wisconsin is scheduled to open its season Friday against Western Michigan.

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