Former Pittsburgh Steelers ILB Sean Spence is joining the NFL coaching ranks for the first time with the Los Angeles Chargers, per Jordan Schultz on X.

“Sources: The Chargers are hiring Sean Spence as their new inside linebackers coach,” Schultz wrote. “Spence, a former NFL player, most recently coached at Western Michigan and at the Senior Bowl. Under his guidance, Nadame Tucker led the country in sacks and TFLs this past season.”

Sources: The #Chargers are hiring Sean Spence as their new inside linebackers coach.

Spence, a former NFL player, most recently coached at Western Michigan and at the Senior Bowl. Under his guidance, Nadame Tucker led the country in sacks and TFLs this past season. pic.twitter.com/4cvRHR4umr

— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) February 13, 2026

Spence was drafted in the third round of the 2012 NFL Draft out of Miami (FL). A major knee injury during his rookie training camp put his career in jeopardy, but he returned in 2014 to play a full 16 games with nine starts. After a couple seasons of playing in Pittsburgh, he ended up with the Tennessee Titans in 2016 before ending his career in 2017 with the Indianapolis Colts, and a midseason return to the Steelers.

In total, Spence had 163 total tackles, 10 tackles for loss, 10 QB hits, six sacks, three passes defensed and a forced fumble in 23 career starts. His playing career didn’t go like he hoped it would, but he battled through multiple torn ligaments and nerve damage to get back on the field.

After a few years of running high school football camps, he returned to the sport to coach at Western Michigan in 2023. He was initially hired as a special teams analyst, but coached linebackers and edge defenders for the last two seasons. One of his star pupils, Nadame Tucker, turned a lot of heads at the Senior Bowl in January. Perhaps that led to Spence garnering interest from somebody on the Chargers coaching staff.

Now he will join Jim Harbaugh and Chris O’Leary’s defensive staff in Los Angeles. While he won’t be coaching the edge rushers, there is a chance that Spence can reunite with his old teammate Bud Dupree if he returns on another contract with the Chargers.