Renaldo Hill enters his second season as defensive coordinator for the Chargers. After a 10-year playing career, he's risen through the coaching ranks for nine seasons, including the last four in the NFL.
In his first season coordinating the defensive unit, the Chargers led the NFL with 11 strip-sacks on the year, ranking third in the league with a conference-best 19 forced fumbles. A league-best seven of those strip-sacks came from outside linebacker Joey Bosa, who was named to his third-straight Pro Bowl. Hill also coached safety Derwin James Jr., to earn his second career Pro Bowl nod after becoming the league's first defensive back in at least 20 years to eclipse 100 tackles after missing the entirety of the previous season due to injury. The unit was led by linebacker Kyzir White's career-high 144 tackles (90 solo) and cornerback Michael Davis' 12 passes defensed. Rookie cornerback Asante Samuel Jr., was named NFL Offensive Rookie of the Month for September after registering two interceptions within his first three career games.
Prior to joining the Chargers, Hill spent two seasons (2019-20) as Denver's defensive backs coach and one (2018) as the assistant defensive backs coach for Miami. Under his tutelage, Broncos safety Justin Simmons earned second-team All-Pro recognition from The Associated Press for his performance in the 2019 season and was named a Pro Bowler in 2020 after posting a career-best five interceptions. In 2019, Hill directed a Denver secondary that contributed to the No. 11 pass defense in the NFL. In his lone season with the Dolphins, he helped coach a secondary that racked up 21 interceptions, including three that were returned for touchdowns. Hill worked closely with cornerback Xavien Howard, who was named an all-star after recording a league-leading seven picks on the year despite missing four games. In his lone year with Miami, Hill helped with a position group that had four players pick off multiple passes — Howard (seven), safety Reshad Jones (three), safety T.J. McDonald (three) and Fitzpatrick (two).
A native of Detroit, Mich., Hill played collegiately close to home at Michigan State University. Hill, a two-time All-Big Ten selection, including first-team honors in 2000, started all 35 appearances in his final three seasons for the Spartans (1998-2000). In his first two seasons starting at cornerback for Michigan State, Hill played for, and learned from, Head Coach Nick Saban.
Hill was drafted in the seventh round by the Arizona Cardinals in the 2001 NFL Draft and became a regular starter by his third season, where he picked off a career-high five passes. Over a 10-year playing career, he started 114-of-141 games played with Arizona, Oakland, Miami and Denver. Hill totaled 607 tackles (497 solo), 25 tackles for loss, five forced fumbles, 61 passes defensed and 19 interceptions — including one he returned for a touchdown. He capped his playing career by starting 31 games over his final two seasons with the Broncos (2009-10).
Following his playing career, Hill rose through the coaching ranks at the collegiate level. He spent two seasons (2012-13) at the University of Wyoming, serving in a graduate assistant role his first year before working as the cornerbacks coach in 2013. Hill then spent three seasons coaching the defensive backs at the University of Pittsburgh (2015-17), working with three eventual NFL defensive backs, including two selections in the 2018 NFL Draft — Avonte Maddox and Jordan Whitehead. His expertise in the secondary helped Pittsburgh knock off the No. 3 team in the nation, and the eventual National Champions, Clemson, in a 2016 road contest. In the road upset victory, the Panther defense picked off quarterback Deshaun Watson three times.
Hill and his wife, Tanaya, have a son, Rylan, and daughter, Tatum.
