Rod Wilson is in his first season with the Cardinals after being hired to coach inside linebackers on 2/20/26. He came to Arizona after spending the past four seasons (2022-25) with the Chiefs where he was part of a staff that helped guide Kansas City to three straight Super Bowl appearances and a pair of Super Bowl wins.
He has 13 years of NFL experience, including six as a player and seven as a coach. Wilson's seven seasons coaching in the NFL have all come with Kansas City and resulted in six AFC West titles, four AFC Championships and three Super Bowl wins.
Wilson coached outside linebackers the past two years (2024-25) with the Chiefs. Last season, LB Nick Bolton led the team with 154 tackles, the second-highest total of his career, and also recorded 10 tackles for loss, a sack, a forced fumble and an INT. Fellow LB Drue Tranquill surpassed 100 tackles for just the second time in his career and added 10 tackles for loss, 2.0 sacks, a pass defensed, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery. In 2024, Wilson assisted the Chiefs in reaching their third-straight Super Bowl (LVII, LVIII and LIX) with Bolton (106 tackles, 73 solo) and Tranquill (94 tackles, 54 solo) finishing the season as the Chiefs leading tacklers. Wilson also mentored LB Leo Chenal who posted 53 tackles (35 solo), a sack, four tackles for loss and set career-highs in forced fumbles (three) and passes defensed (three).
He spent the 2023 season primarily working with Kansas City's defensive backs, assisting in the development of CBs L'Jarius Sneed and Trent McDuffie. Sneed led the team with two INTs and 14 passes defensed. McDuffie, who was selected first-team AP All-Pro, showed his versatility after posting the second-most tackles (80) on the team and adding 3.0 sacks, nine pressures and seven passes defensed. The defense played a major role in Kansas City's second-straight Super Bowl title (LVII and LVIII), allowing the fewest second half points in the league that year. In his first season back with the Chiefs in 2022, Wilson mentored five rookie defensive backs. CBs Jaylen Watson and Joshua Williams each had a regular and postseason INT while Watson made NFL history that season, returning an INT 99 yards for the longest go ahead fourth-quarter TD by a rookie. Sneed and S Juan Thornhill tied for the team lead with three INTs each.
In 2021, Wilson coached inside linebackers at Coastal Carolina and helped them to an 11-2 record and a victory in the Cure Bowl. The defense ranked in the top 25 nationally in opponent passing yards per game (190.7), completions per game (16.0), and first downs per game (17.8). LB Silas Kelly earned first-team All-Sun Belt honors after ranking third in the conference in tackles (110).
Wilson returned to coach at his alma mater, the University of South Carolina, in 2020 where he coached linebackers. He mentored LB Ernest Jones who led the Gamecocks in tackles (86) and became an All-SEC fourth-team selection. Wilson also coached LB Mohamed Kaba who returned from an ACL injury to total 13 tackles in nine games, earning him an SEC All-Freshman selection.
His first coaching stint with Kansas City came in 2017 where he spent three seasons (2017-19) as an assistant special teams coach. In 2019 the Chiefs ranked in the top-10 in kick return average (25.1, 6th), opponent yards per kick return (19.6, 4th) and opponent yards per punt return (4.7, 3rd). Rookie WR Mecole Hardman was selected to the Pro Bowl in 2019 and was named second-team AP All-Pro that season after scoring a TD on a 104-yard kickoff return, the third-longest kickoff return in Chiefs history. K Harrison Butker set the franchise record for most points (147) by a kicker in a single season. In 2018, the Chiefs finished 3rd in the NFL in yards per punt return (11.9), 4th in opponent yards per punt return (5.7) and tied for 7th in yards per kickoff return (24.4). In 2017, Wilson guided Butker to a decorated rookie season as he set the franchise record for consecutive made field goals (23). The Chiefs led the NFL in kickoff returns (47 for 1,051 yards) as Tyreek Hill was selected to his second Pro Bowl after returning 25 punts for 204 yards and a TD.
Prior to his first stint with the Chiefs, Wilson spent four seasons (2013-16) at Charleston Southern coaching safeties (2013), inside linebackers (2014-16) and assisting with special teams. While coaching at CSU, Wilson worked with the Chiefs linebackers and special teams during training camp in 2015 as part of the Bill Walsh Diversity Coaching Fellowship.
In 2015, CSU led the conference in total defense (292.0 ypg) and held opponents to the second-fewest rushing yards per game (147.1) which helped earn a Big South title and the program's first-ever berth into the FCS Playoffs. Under Wilson's tutelage, CSU landed at least one linebacker on the Big South's All-Conference squad each of his four seasons. In 2016, Wilson helped guide the defense to top rankings within the league, limiting opponents to the fewest rushing TDs (15) and fewest total rushing yards (1,488).
He enjoyed a six-year NFL playing career with Chicago (2005-08, '10) and Tampa Bay (2009). Wilson was selected in the seventh round (220th overall) of the 2005 NFL Draft by the Bears and appeared in 51 games over his career. He tallied 47 tackles and a forced fumble while being a key special teams contributor. Wilson's career highlights include four playoff appearances, two NFC Championship appearances and an appearance in Super Bowl XLI.
Wilson attended the University of South Carolina where he played five different positions (quarterback, wide receiver, spur, safety and linebacker) and was a team captain as a senior, when he led the team in tackles (68) while earning All-SEC honors and SEC Academic Honor Roll accolades. Wilson and his wife, Megan, have three children, sons Jaylen and Ryan and daughter, Nova.
