After a four-year stint in the Pacific Northwest, Tom Donatell enters his first season as assistant secondary coach of the Los Angeles Chargers in 2021.
Donatell returns to the City of Angels after serving as a quality control coach for the Seattle Seahawks since 2017. In his four seasons aiding Seattle's defensive coaching staff, Seahawks defenders earned a combined seven Pro Bowl nods. In each of Donatell's four seasons in the Pacific Northwest, linebacker Bobby Wagner was a Pro Bowler and earned first-team All-Pro recognition from The Associated Press.
After his first season with the Seahawks, serving as an associate to Defensive Coordinator Ken Norton Jr., Donatell's responsibilities grew, spearheading advance video evaluation efforts of Seattle's upcoming opponents for the defensive coaching staff. He also conducted self-scouting endeavors on a routine basis, evaluating and contributing to the defense's week-to-week evolving playbook.
Prior to joining the Seahawks' staff in 2017, Donatell served as a defensive graduate assistant at the University of South Florida (2013-14) and at UCLA (2015-16).
The son of Denver Broncos Defensive Coordinator Ed Donatell, Tom Donatell rotated at linebacker and safety as a collegiate player for the University of Iowa from 2008-12. He started eight games at strong safety for the Hawkeyes as a senior in 2012, securing two interceptions and a recording one forced fumble over his career.
Donatell and his wife, Rebecca, have three sons, Drake, Jack and Bennett.
