COACH PROFILE
Ryan Nielsen
Defensive Run Game Coordinator, Minnesota Vikings (2026)
Southern California
Los Angeles, CA
Ryan Nielsen has coached in the NFL since 2017, spanning 10 seasons with 5 organizations. His roles included Defensive Run Game Coordinator, Senior Defensive Assistant, Defensive Coordinator, and Defensive Line. He worked under Arthur Smith, Dennis Allen, and Doug Pederson.
Career Timeline
Career History
| Year | Team | Role(s) |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 |
Minnesota Vikings
|
Defensive Run Game Coordinator under Kevin O'Connell |
| 2025 |
Buffalo Bills
|
Senior Defensive Assistant under Sean McDermott |
| 2024 |
Jacksonville Jaguars
|
Defensive Coordinator under Doug Pederson |
| 2023 |
Atlanta Falcons
|
Defensive Coordinator under Arthur Smith |
| 2022 |
New Orleans Saints
|
Defensive Line, Defensive Coordinator under Dennis Allen |
| 2021 |
New Orleans Saints
|
Assistant Head Coach, Defensive Line under Sean Payton |
| 2020 |
New Orleans Saints
|
Defensive Line under Sean Payton |
| 2019 |
New Orleans Saints
|
Defensive Line under Sean Payton |
| 2018 |
New Orleans Saints
|
Defensive Line under Sean Payton |
| 2017 |
New Orleans Saints
|
Defensive Line under Sean Payton |
Worked Under (6)
| Coach | Team | Years |
|---|---|---|
|
|
Atlanta Falcons
|
1 |
|
|
New Orleans Saints
|
1 |
|
|
Jacksonville Jaguars
|
1 |
|
|
Minnesota Vikings
|
1 |
|
|
Buffalo Bills
|
1 |
|
|
New Orleans Saints
|
5 |
Protégés (0)
No protégés became head coaches.