Ryan Nielsen

{{Short description|American football player and coach (born 1979)}}

{{Infobox NFL biography

| embed =

| name = Ryan Nielsen

| image = Ryan Nielsen.png

| image_size =

| alt =

| caption = Nielsen in 2023

| current_team = Buffalo Bills

| position = Senior defensive assistant

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1979|3|20|mf=y}}

| birth_place = Los Angeles, California, U.S.

| death_date =

| death_place =

| height_ft = 6

| height_in = 5

| weight_lb = 285

| high_school = Royal (Simi Valley, California)

| college = USC (1997–2001)

| cis =

| undraftedyear = 2002

| pastteams =

Philadelphia Eagles ({{nfly|2002}})*
Los Angeles Avengers ({{afly|2004}})

| pastcoaching =

USC (2002)
Volunteer assistant
Ole Miss (2005–2007)
Defensive line coach
Central Connecticut State (2008–2009)
Defensive coordinator/defensive line coach/linebackers coach
UT Martin (2010)
Defensive line coach/special teams coach
Northern Illinois (2011)
Defensive line coach/recruiting coordinator
Northern Illinois (2012)
Co-defensive coordinator/defensive line coach/recruiting coordinator
NC State (2013)
Defensive line coach/recruiting coordinator
NC State (2014–2016)
Defensive line coach/run game coordinator
New Orleans Saints ({{nfly|2017}}–{{nfly|2020}})
Defensive line coach
New Orleans Saints ({{nfly|2021}})
Assistant head coach/defensive line coach
New Orleans Saints ({{nfly|2022}})
Co-defensive coordinator/defensive line coach
Atlanta Falcons ({{nfly|2023}})
Defensive coordinator/defensive line coach
Jacksonville Jaguars ({{nfly|2024}})
Defensive coordinator
Buffalo Bills ({{nfly|2025}}–present)
Senior defensive assistant

| pastadmin =

Idaho (2004)
Administrative assistant

| highlights =

| afl = Ryan_Nielsen-4371/

| regular_record =

| playoff_record =

| overall_record =

| pfrcoach = NielRy0

}}

Ryan Nielsen (born March 20, 1979) is an American football coach and former defensive tackle who is a senior defensive assistant for the Buffalo Bills of the National Football League (NFL). He signed with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2002 as an undrafted free agent.

Playing career

Nielsen played defensive tackle at USC from 1997 to 2001, where he started 30 games and garnered an All-Pac 10 honorable mention in 1999.{{cite web |title=USC's Claridge, Gibson Make All-PAC-10 First-team |url=https://usctrojans.com/news/1999/11/29/usc_s_claridge_gibson_make_all_pac_10_first_team.aspx |website=USC Athletics |access-date=20 January 2021}} Upon graduating from USC in 2002, he signed a contract with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2002 but did not make it past training camp. He also spent time with the Los Angeles Avengers of the Arena Football League.{{cite web |title=Get to know new Saints assistant Ryan Nielsen |url=https://www.neworleanssaints.com/news/get-to-know-new-saints-assistant-ryan-nielsen-18554863 |website=New Orleans Saints |access-date=20 January 2021}}

Coaching career

Nielsen began his coaching career as a volunteer assistant at his alma mater USC in 2002. He also spent time as an administrative assistant at Idaho under former USC assistant Nick Holt. He was hired away as a graduate assistant at Ole Miss under his position coach at USC, Ed Orgeron, and was promoted to defensive line coach before the season began.{{cite web |title=Ryan Nielsen Promoted To Defensive Line Coach At Ole Miss |url=https://olemisssports.com/news/2005/5/11/Ryan_Nielsen_Promoted_To_Defensive_Line_Coach_At_Ole_Miss |website=Ole Miss Athletics |access-date=20 January 2021}} He also had stints at Central Connecticut State and UT Martin before being hired at Northern Illinois in 2011 as a co-defensive coordinator.{{cite web |title=NIU's Doeren continues to build defensive staff with Niemann, Nielsen |url=https://niuhuskies.com/news/2010/12/22/NIU_s_Doeren_Continues_to_Build_Defensive_Staff_with_Niemann_Nielsen.aspx |website=NIU Athletics |access-date=20 January 2021}} He followed Huskies head coach Dave Doeren to NC State in 2013 to serve as his defensive line coach and recruiting coordinator.{{cite web |title=Ryan Nielsen hired as NC State assistant |url=https://ncstate.rivals.com/news/ryan-nielsen-hired-as-nc-state-assistant |website=Rivals |date=7 December 2012 |access-date=20 January 2021}} He added the title of run game coordinator in 2014.

= New Orleans Saints =

Nielsen was hired as the defensive line coach for the New Orleans Saints on February 9, 2017.{{cite web |title=Ryan Nielsen fulfills dream to coach in NFL, brings passion to Saints defensive line |url=https://www.nola.com/sports/saints/article_1fd7ca8d-5b59-5b3d-a303-928c3444185a.html |website=NOLA.com |date=17 May 2017 |access-date=20 January 2021}}

Nielsen was offered the defensive coordinator position at LSU in 2021, but elected to remain with the Saints where he was promoted with the added title of assistant head coach in 2021.{{cite web |title=Ryan Nielsen gets new title with New Orleans Saints, won't be LSU Tigers defensive coordinator, sources say |url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/30742823/ryan-nielsen-gets-new-title-new-orleans-saints-lsu-tigers-defensive-coordinator-sources-say |website=ESPN |date=19 January 2021 |access-date=20 January 2021}}{{cite magazine |title=Saints promote Ryan Nielsen to Assistant Head Coach, per report |url=https://www.si.com/nfl/saints/news/saints-promote-ryan-nielsen |magazine=Sports Illustrated |access-date=20 January 2021}}

Nielsen was promoted to co-defensive coordinator for the New Orleans Saints in 2022.

= Atlanta Falcons =

On January 27, 2023, Nielsen was hired as defensive coordinator for the Atlanta Falcons.

In Nielsen’s first year with the Falcons, the overall defensive rankings improved from 23rd to 18th in points allowed per game and from 27th to 11th in yards allowed per game.{{Cite web |title=2023 Atlanta Falcons Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees, Injury Reports |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/atl/2023.htm |access-date=2024-01-15 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}} The Falcons also doubled their sack total (42) from the previous season (21).{{Cite web |title=2022 Atlanta Falcons Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees, Injury Reports |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/atl/2022.htm |access-date=2024-01-15 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=2023 Atlanta Falcons Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees, Injury Reports |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/atl/2023.htm |access-date=2024-01-15 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}

= Jacksonville Jaguars =

On January 22, 2024, Nielsen was hired as defensive coordinator for the Jacksonville Jaguars.{{cite web |title=Official: Ryan Nielsen Hired as Jaguars Defensive Coordinator |url=https://www.jaguars.com/news/official-ryan-nielsen-hired-as-jaguars-defensive-coordinator-2023 |website=Jaguars.com |access-date=23 January 2024}}

=Buffalo Bills=

On February 6, 2025, the Buffalo Bills hired Nielsen as a senior defensive assistant.{{Cite web|title=BREAKING: Former Jaguars DC Ryan Nielsen Joining Bills Staff|url=https://www.si.com/nfl/jaguars/news/breaking-former-jaguars-dc-ryan-nielsen-joining-bills-staff-01jk9qz2wnaa|access-date=February 8, 2025|website=si.com|language=en}}