| Cincinnati Bengals | |
|---|---|
| Position: | Senior defensive assistant |
| Personal information | |
| Born: | (1983-04-21)April 21, 1983 (age 41) Shelton, Connecticut, U.S. |
| Career information | |
| College: | Boston University (?–2004) Columbia (2005) Temple (2006–2008) |
| Career history | |
As a coach: | |
| |
| Coaching profile atPro Football Reference | |
Sean Desai (born April 21, 1983) is anAmerican football coach who is a senior defensive assistant for theCincinnati Bengals of theNational Football League (NFL).[1] He is the first NFL coordinator ofIndian descent.[2] He previously served as the defensive coordinator for thePhiladelphia Eagles, as well as an assistant coach for theChicago Bears,Seattle Seahawks,Boston College,University of Miami andTemple University.
Desai grew up inShelton, Connecticut and attendedShelton High School, where he played defensive back on a state championship team with future NFL quarterbackDan Orlovsky. Desai did not play college football, instead attendingBoston University with the intention of becoming an orthopedist. He graduated in 3 years with a double-major in philosophy and political science and a minor in biology, and gained his first exposure to coaching by returning home some weekends to volunteer as an assistant coach for his younger brother’s freshman football team.
Desai later switched his focus to education, receiving a Master’s degree in teaching fromColumbia University, shadowing their football team’s coaching staff for one semester. When he was unable to obtain an entry-level position with any NFL teams, he decided to attendTemple University to receive a doctorate in education.[3]
Desai began his coaching career atTemple University, where he was a graduate student, eventually obtaining a PhD in educational administration. Initially volunteering with Temple’s recruiting staff, Desai was later hired part-time as a graduate assistant by head coachAl Golden, initially helping players with their academics, and later working with the defense and special teams.[2][4] He also worked as an adjunct professor in Temple’s education department for two years, and was prepared to leave coaching to become a full-time professor atGeorge Washington University in 2009; however, Golden pled Desai to stay with the assurance of a full-time coaching position the following season. In 2010, he was promoted to outside linebackers coach and special teams coordinator for the Owls, making him the youngest Division 1 coordinator at 27 years old.[5][6]
In 2011, Desai joined theUniversity of Miami as their assistant director of football operations.[7]
In 2012, Desai joined as the running backs coach and special teams coordinator atBoston College.[7]
In 2013, Desai was hired by theChicago Bears as a quality control assistant under head coachMarc Trestman. As a quality control assistant, he worked with the Bears' defensive backs and linebackers while also assisting the special teams coaches. Desai was retained by head coachJohn Fox in 2015 andMatt Nagy in 2018. On February 8, 2019, Desai was promoted to safeties coaches.[8] The Bears went 8–8 in 2019 and missed the playoffs.[9] Under his coaching,Eddie Jackson was named to thePro Bowl.[10] On January 22, 2021, Desai was promoted to defensive coordinator, replacingChuck Pagano, following his retirement. Desai became the first person ofIndian descent to become a coordinator in theNational Football League.[11] He was not retained by the team following the departure of head coach Matt Nagy after the 2021 season.
On February 11, 2022, Desai was hired by theSeattle Seahawks as an associate defensive head coach.[12]
On February 28, 2023, Desai was hired by thePhiladelphia Eagles as their defensive coordinator under head coachNick Sirianni, replacingJonathan Gannon, who departed to become the head coach of theArizona Cardinals.[13][14]
Despite the Eagles being 10–3 on the season, head coachNick Sirianni announced on December 17, 2023, that senior defensive assistantMatt Patricia would be taking over defensive play calling from Desai.[15] Desai was moved to a lesser position in the coaches' box, bolstered after the Eagles' defense let up 42 points and 33 points in back-to-back weeks, ranking as the worst third down defense in the NFL.[15]The Philadelphia Inquirer reported that Desai did not "carry himself with confidence...[and] some players started to feel that."[15]Crossing Broad reported that, following the move, Desai was not part of the team's coaches meetings.[16]
In less than a year of holding his position, after losing 6 of their last 7 games, including aWild Card playoff game, Sirianni fired Desai on January 21, 2024.[17]
On February 25, 2024, Desai was hired by the Rams as a senior defensive assistant.[18]
On February 24, 2025, Desai was hired by theCincinnati Bengals as a senior defensive assistant.[19]
Desai received his undergraduate degree in philosophy and political science, with a minor in biology, fromBoston University in 2004. Desai earned amaster's degree in higher and postsecondary education fromColumbia University in 2005.[5] Desai earned his doctorate in educational administration in 2008 atTemple University,[2] and was anadjunct professor for two years.[7]