In 2022, Dave Merritt will begin his fourth season as the Kansas City Chiefs defensive backs coach.
Kansas City Chiefs Defensive Backs Coach: Who is David Merritt?
Tyrann Mathieu was guided by Merritt to his third Pro Bowl in 2021. With three interceptions, including a pick-six, Mathieu led the team. S Following closely behind with two interceptions and a pick-six was Dan Sorensen.
Tyrann Mathieu received his third career and first at the safety position first-team AP All-Pro nomination in 2020 under Merritt’s guidance. With six interceptions during the regular season and one more during the postseason, Mathieu led all NFL safeties.
Merritt also assisted rookie CB L’Jarius Sneed, who received the highest rookie CB grade from Pro Football Focus for the 2020 campaign.
Merritt assisted in coaching S Tyrann Mathieu to an AP All-Pro Team Nomination in 2019. In the NFL, Mathieu finished third among safeties in passes defended with 12, also recording 75 tackles (63 solos), four interceptions, and 2.0 sacks.
After spending the 2018 season working with the defensive backs at the Arizona Cardinals, where he helped CB Patrick Peterson to his ninth Pro Bowl in a career, Merritt moved to Kansas City.
He worked as a defensive assistant (2004–2005) and secondary/safeties coach for the New York Giants for 14 seasons before to joining the Cardinals (2006-2017). T
here, Merritt and Chiefs’ current defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo oversaw a unit that contributed to the team’s Super Bowl XLII victory. Both of his teams were led by Tom Coughlin as the Super Bowl XLVI champions.