Chargers Coaches | Los Angeles Chargers - chargers.com

Sean Spence joins the Los Angeles coaching staff in 2026 as linebackers coach, marking his first NFL coaching experience. He is reunited with Chargers Defensive Coordinator Chris O'Leary, who he coached with at Western Michigan University in 2025.

Sean Spence joins the Los Angeles coaching staff in 2026 as linebackers coach, marking his first NFL coaching experience. He is reunited with Chargers Defensive Coordinator Chris O'Leary, who he coached with at Western Michigan University in 2025.

Over the last three seasons (2023-25), Spence broke into coaching at Western Michigan, working one season each as special teams analyst, linebackers coach and edges coach. During the 2025 season as edges coach, Spence tutored senior defensive end Nadame Tucker to earn first-team All-Mid American Conference honors, MAC Defensive Player of the Year and the Vern Smith Leadership Award, which annually recognizes the MAC's overall Most Valuable Player. The Broncos posted a 10-4 record (7-1 MAC record) en route to a MAC Championship and a victory in the Myrtle Beach Bowl.

Spence was a third-round (86th overall) by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 2012 NFL Draft, starting 23-of-53 career regular-season games with the Steelers, Tennessee Titans and Indianapolis Colts. He totaled 153 tackles (104 solo), six sacks, three pass breakups, 10 quarterback hits, 10 tackles for loss, a forced fumble and a recovery. Spence also saw action in four postseason games with Pittsburgh, making two starts and registering seven tackles (four solo), a 13-yard sack) a pair of quarterback hits and a forced fumble.

A native of Miami, Fla., Spence played college football for four seasons (2008-11) at the University of Miami, earning Atlantic Coast Conference Defensive Rookie of the Year and first-team Freshman All-America from College Football News as a true freshman in 2008. He went on to earn second-team All-ACC honors as a junior in 2010 and first-team All-ACC recognition as a senior in 2011, also finishing as a semifinalist for the Butkus Award, which annually recognizes the nation's top linebacker. Spence was the first Miami linebacker to record 100 tackles in consecutive seasons since 2003.

Spence prepped at nearby Miami Northwestern High, where he posted 123 tackles, three sacks and two interceptions as a senior in 2007. He was rated as the second-best outside linebacker in the country by ESPN, earning PrepStar All-American honors and All-State recognition from the Florida Sportswriters Association. Spence helped Bulls in 2006 to a perfect 15-0 record as he led the state with 197 tackles, including 10 tackles for loss and adding a pair of interceptions. He was high school teammates with former Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker Lavonte David.