Feb. 4, 2026, 10:04 p.m. ET<\/p>\n
The Washington Commanders<\/a> have hired a new defensive line coach.<\/p>\n Eric Henderson, 43, was the co-defensive coordinator, defensive line coach & run game coordinator at USC last season. Henderson was the Los Angeles Rams<\/a>‘ defensive line coach & defensive run game coordinator from 2021-2023 before going to USC in 2024.<\/p>\n Former Rams stud defensive tackle Aaron Donald spoke very highly of Henderson while Henderson was coaching the Rams (2019-2023). “Obviously, I got a real good, close relationship with Coach Henny. I have a lot of love and respect for him as a person and coach. He was able to teach me and still teaches me a lot of things. One of my regimens I do every week is I sit down and talk to Coach Henny about different schemes that I can do to play better. We’ve been like that for the past couple of years. So, 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.”<\/p>\n Henderson played at Georgia Tech and went undrafted, before playing for the Cincinnati Bengals from 2006-2008. He coached at Georgia Military, Oklahoma State, and UT at San Antonio. Moving up to the NFL, he coached with the Chargers (2017-2018) before going to the Rams and USC.<\/p>\n According to Nicki Jhabvala, the Commanders will retain<\/a> current defensive line coach Darryl Tapp and reassign him to the assistant defensive line coach role. Tapp played college ball at Virginia Tech and high school ball at Deep Creek High School in Chesapeake, VA. He was selected in the second round of the 2006 NFL Draft, 63rd overall. From 2006 to 2017, Tapp played for the Seahawks, Eagles, Redskins<\/a> (2013), Lions, Saints, and Buccaneers.<\/p>\n