The Washington Commanders hired Eric Henderson as their new defensive line coach/run game coordinator on Wednesday. It was a big hire for new defensive coordinator Daronte Jones. Jones, who was hired last week to replace Joe Whitt Jr., has never worked with Henderson, just as head coach Dan Quinn had never worked with Jones.

Henderson comes highly recommended. The 43-year-old coach spent the past two seasons at USC, where he served as co-defensive coordinator, defensive line coach & run game coordinator. But before Henderson’s pit stop with the Trojans, he was already considered one of the NFL’s best defensive line coaches.

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Henderson’s star pupil: former Los Angeles Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald.

Donald played 10 years in the NFL, retiring at the end of the 2023 season. He retired at the top of his game, still considered the NFL’s best defensive player. The future Pro Football Hall of Famer had Henderson as his position coach and mentor for the final five seasons of his career, and holds him in high regard.

Here’s what Donald said about his relationship with Henderson in 2022.

“Obviously, I got a real, good, close relationship with Coach Henny,” Donald said via the Rams’ official website. “A lot of love and respect for him as a person, as a coach. I think he was able to teach me, still teaching me a lot of things. One of my regimens I do every week, I sit down and talk to Henny about different schemes and different things that I could do to play better. We’ve been like that for the past couple of years. Over the time, we just grew a close relationship. I think he’s a great young coach. If not the best, one of the top defensive line coaches in the National Football League. From the things he’s able to teach young guys, teach veteran guys, from technique things, to be able to put us in certain positions to try to have success. He’s a guy that’s always working over trying to find a way. He’s never satisfied. And that’s one thing that we kinda got the same mindset toward a lot of things. So, a lot of love and respect for Coach Henderson.”

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Washington’s young defensive linemen should be excited. Not only do they retain Darryl Tapp, a coach they like and respect, but they also add one of the NFL’s most respected defensive line coaches. For veterans like Daron Payne and Javon Kinlaw, here’s what to expect from Henderson.

Henderson is a big-time get for Jones and the Commanders.

This article originally appeared on Commanders Wire: Washington Commanders: Eric Henderson’s impact on Aaron Donald