Brendan Nugent enters his first season as the offensive line coach for the Chargers in 2022. The nine-year NFL coaching veteran comes to Los Angeles after holding the same position for the New Orleans Saints last season.
Nugent spent the last seven seasons (2015-21) with the Saints helping the offense. He was an offensive assistant for two years (2015-16) and then the team's assistant offensive line coach from 2017-20 before taking over as the position coach in 2021. Over those five years working with the New Orleans line, the unit allowed the fewest sacks in the NFL (131) and featured 10 Pro Bowl selections. In 2020, Nugent helped coach the Saints to boast the sixth-ranked rushing attack in the NFL, averaging 141.6 yards per game on the ground. That season, New Orleans set a franchise record with a league-leading 30 rushing scores.
A native of White Plains, N.Y., Nugent played linebacker at The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. After his playing career for the Cardinal, he broke into coaching at his alma mater, Archbishop Stepinac High, tutoring the team's linebackers.
Nugent went on to spend two years as an offensive assistant at Iowa (2005-06), helping the Hawkeyes reach the 2005 Outback Bowl and 2006 Alamo Bowl during his tenure, while also earning his bachelor's degree in political science in 2006. He then coached at William & Mary from 2007-11. In his five years with the Tribe, he tutored the tight ends (2007, '09), wide receivers (2008) and running backs (2010-11).
Prior to joining the Saints, Nugent spent the 2012 season as a special teams assistant and offensive quality control coach on the staff of Marc Trestman with the Canadian Football League's Montreal Alouettes. That year, the Alouettes finished first in the CFL's East Division. Nugent then coached under Trestman as an offensive quality control coach with the Chicago Bears.
Nugent and his wife, Jenny, have four children — Addelynn, Declan, Maelie and Nolan.
