Michael Wilhoite enters his second season as outside linebackers coach for the Denver Broncos in 2024. He was hired by the club on Feb. 25, 2023.
Wilhoite joined the Broncos with four seasons of coaching experience, including two as a position coach. He most recently served as linebackers coach for the L.A. Chargers from 2021-22.
In 2023, the Broncos totaled 42 sacks—the most by a Denver team in a season since 2020—with 22 of them coming from the outside linebackers. Denver also totaled 71 tackles for loss on the year, with the outside linebackers accounting for 29 of them.
Under Wilhoite's guidance, outside linebackers Jonathon Cooper (8.5) and Nik Bonitto (8.0) set new career highs in sacks and became the first Broncos duo to record at least eight sacks in a single season since 2018. Cooper became an impact player on the edge in 2023, recording the second-most sacks by any player drafted in the seventh-round of the NFL Draft.
In addition to his time with the Chargers, Wilhoite coached two seasons in New Orleans under Head Coach Sean Payton, serving as special teams assistant (2019) and defensive assistant (2020). He began coaching after playing six seasons in the NFL with San Francisco (2011-16) and Seattle (2017).
In his second season as Chargers' linebackers coach in 2022, Wilhoite coached linebacker Drue Tranquill, who totaled the eighth-most tackles (144) by a player in the AFC. His 144 defensive stops (93 solo) represented the fifth most by a Charger in a single season in franchise history.
Joining the Chargers coaching staff in 2021, Wilhoite tutored a group that saw linebacker Kyzir White lead the Chargers and rank third in the AFC with a career-high 144 tackles (90 solo), including seven tackles for loss. White became the first Chargers defender to register at least seven double-digit tackle performances in a single season since 2008.
Wilhoite also helped develop linebacker Nick Niemann, who led all rookies with 14 special teams tackles that season. Niemann went on to be named to the 2021 Pro Football Writers of America All-Rookie team.
Following his six-year stint as a player, Wilhoite began coaching in 2019. He spent two seasons with the Saints, serving as special teams (2019) and defensive (2020) assistant.
Wilhoite was part of a coaching staff that guided the team to a 25-7 record and back-to-back NFC South division titles. The Saints' defense surrendered the fifth-fewest points per game (21.1) in 2020, while the special teams unit ranked first in American sportswriter Rick Gosselin's 2019 special teams rankings.
Originally signed by San Francisco as a college free agent in 2011, Wilhoite appeared in 79 career regular-season games (45 starts) with 49ers and Seahawks. He totaled 263 tackles (203 solo), four interceptions (1 yd.), 11 passes defensed, two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery during his career.
Wilhoite played collegiately at Division-II Washburn University in Topeka, Kan., where he suited up as a free safety and outside linebacker. He appeared in 44 career games over four seasons (2006-08, '10) for the Ichabods, recording 203 tackles (109 solo), 2.5 sacks (7 yds.), three interceptions (40 yds.), 16 passes defensed, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries.
A native of Topeka, Kan., Wilhoite is married to his wife, Jacqueline.
Outside Linebackers 2023-24
Special Teams Assistant 2019
