NATHANIEL WILLINGHAM enters his fourth season with the New York Jets, and his first as the assistant linebackers coach, after joining the organization in 2022. He was promoted to defensive backs/nickelbacks coach prior to the start of the 2024 season. For Willingham, 2025 marks his seventh season coaching in the NFL, after five years at the collegiate level.

Willingham has helped the defense register a top five unit in football in each of the last three seasons, ranking fourth (311.1) in total defense in 2022 and third in both 2023 (293.2) and 2024 (318.8). Last season (2024), he helped the defense limit opponents to 192.6 passing yards per game and a 66.7% goal to go efficiency, the fourth and seventh lowest marks in the League respectively.

He got his start with the Jets as a defensive assistant (2022-23). In his first two seasons, Willingham was part of a staff that ranked second in total defense, allowing just 301.7 yards per game across two seasons. Individually, he helped linebacker Quincy Williams earn AP First Team All-Pro and Curtis Martin Team MVP honors (2023), after registering career highs in all categories, including tackles (139), tackles for loss (15), QB pressures (11), and passes defensed (10). Additionally, he helped lead C.J. Mosley to earn AP Second Team All-Pro honors and his fifth Pro Bowl appearance (2022), while becoming one of just five active players with 1,000 or more career tackles following the 2023 season.

Prior to joining the Jets, Willingham spent three seasons with the Denver Broncos (2019-21) as a defensive quality control coach. During his time in Denver, the Broncos became the first team since 1995 to lead the League in red zone defense in consecutive seasons (2019-20).

Before getting his start in the NFL, Willingham spent five seasons at the collegiate level, including four years at Stanford as a football quality control analyst (2018), defensive assistant (2016-17), and recruiting assistant (2015). Stanford posted a 40-14 record and won the Rose Bowl (2015) during Willingham's tenure with the school. He started his collegiate coaching career at Menlo College (2014) in California as the tight ends coach before the school eliminated the football program.

A former prep center and defensive tackle at Skyline (Sammamish, WA), Willingham began his coaching career at his high school alma mater in a variety of roles, ultimately serving as the defensive line coach (2011-12). In his three seasons coaching the varsity level, the school won a pair of state championships and posted a 37-5 record.

Willingham and his wife, Rachel, have two sons, Auggie and Emory. His father, Tyrone, a coach for over 30 years, was the head coach at Stanford (1995-2001), Notre Dame (2002-04), and the University of Washington (2005-08).

FLIGHT PATH

New York Jets | 2022-Present

Defensive Backs/Nickelbacks - 2024

Defensive Assistant - 2022-23

Denver Broncos | 2019-21

Defensive Quality Control - 2019-21

Stanford University | 2015-18

Football Quality Control Analyst - 2018

Defensive Assistant - 2016-17

Recruiting Assistant - 2015

Menlo College | 2014

Tight Ends - 2014

Skyline (WA) HS | 2008-12

Defensive Line - 2011-12

Assistant Linebackers - 2010

Defensive Line/Offensive Line (J.V.) - 2008-09