Commanders Hire Daronte Jones as New Defensive Coordinator

Jones brings experience from Vikings and Dolphins to lead Washington's defense

Jan. 28, 2026 at 3:31am

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The Washington Commanders have hired Daronte Jones as their new defensive coordinator. Jones previously served as an assistant coach with the Minnesota Vikings and Miami Dolphins, working under defensive-minded head coaches Mike Zimmer and Brian Flores. Experts believe Jones' diverse experience in different defensive schemes and his ability to adapt week-to-week will serve him well in his new role leading the Commanders' defense.

Why it matters

The Commanders' defense struggled at times last season, so the hiring of Jones represents an opportunity to bring in a fresh perspective and potentially improve the unit. Jones' background working under respected defensive coordinators is seen as a positive, as he looks to implement his own scheme and philosophy in Washington.

The details

Jones has spent the past few seasons as an assistant coach, first with the Vikings under Mike Zimmer and then with the Dolphins under Brian Flores. In those roles, he gained experience in both man-heavy and zone-based defensive schemes, as well as the ability to adapt and introduce new looks on a weekly basis to keep offenses off balance. Experts believe this diverse background has prepared Jones well for his first opportunity as an NFL defensive coordinator.

  • Jones was hired by the Commanders on January 25, 2026.
  • He previously served as an assistant coach with the Vikings from 2020-2021 and the Dolphins from 2022-2025.

The players

Daronte Jones

The new defensive coordinator for the Washington Commanders, who previously served as an assistant coach with the Minnesota Vikings and Miami Dolphins.

Mike Zimmer

The former head coach of the Minnesota Vikings, under whom Daronte Jones worked as an assistant coach.

Brian Flores

The former head coach of the Miami Dolphins, under whom Daronte Jones worked as an assistant coach.

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What they’re saying

“I can recall so many training camp and OTA days of him being the vocal guy with most of the secondary. Brian Flores expects a lot. He has a very high standard. He is very direct. Working for him, you have to meet a certain bar, and he and Daronte really hit it off from the outset.”

— Alec Lewis, Reporter, The Athletic (106.7 The Fan)

“So, I think the cool thing with Daronte is he has the principles of what it would look like in a man heavy scheme from his time with Zimmer, to the different ways you can incorporate zone the past few years with Flores.”

— Alec Lewis, Reporter, The Athletic (106.7 The Fan)

What’s next

Jones will work closely with Commanders head coach Ron Rivera to implement his defensive scheme and get the players up to speed during the offseason program and training camp.

The takeaway

Daronte Jones' diverse experience working under respected defensive coordinators like Mike Zimmer and Brian Flores has prepared him well for his first opportunity as an NFL defensive coordinator. His ability to adapt and introduce new schemes on a weekly basis should serve him and the Commanders' defense well as they look to improve upon last season's performance.