| Los Angeles Chargers | |
|---|---|
| Title | Defensive coordinator |
| Personal information | |
| Born | November 7, 1991 Terre Haute, Indiana, U.S. |
| Career information | |
| High school | North Vigo High (Terre Haute, Indiana) |
| College | Indiana State (2010–2014) |
| Position | Wide receiver |
| Career history | |
| |
| Coaching profile at Pro Football Reference | |
Christopher John O'Leary (born November 7, 1991) is an American professional football coach who is the defensive coordinator for the Los Angeles Chargers of the National Football League (NFL). He previously served as the defensive coordinator and safeties coach at Western Michigan University in 2025.
O'Leary played college football for the Indiana State Sycamores. He previously served as an assistant coach for the Georgia State Panthers, Florida Tech Panthers, and Notre Dame Fighting Irish.
O'Leary was born in Terre Haute, Indiana, in 1991. He is the son of Patrick and Julie O'Leary. He has three brothers, Marc, Dan, and Matt.
O'Leary played college football as a wide receiver at Indiana State University from 2010 to 2014. He sat as a redshirt freshman in the 2010 season. His future mentor, Jesse Minter, served as linebackers coach and defensive coordinator. [1]
O'Leary was a graduate assistant at Georgia State in 2015 and 2016, serving under then defensive coordinator Jesse Minter.
O'Leary got his first coaching role as the safeties coach at Florida Tech in 2017.
O'Leary coached for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish from 2018 to 2023. [2] He began as a defensive analyst and graduate assistant, before becoming the defensive backs and safeties coach in 2021 until 2023.
In 2024, he joined the Los Angeles Chargers as safeties coach under Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter, whom he worked with at Georgia State.
In 2025, he left the Chargers to become the defensive coordinator for the Western Michigan Broncos, [3] where he led the team to 9th ranked scoring defense in the FBS. O'Leary helped the team to a 10–4 record and a victory in the MAC conference championship game for the program's second ever conference championship victory.
On January 28, 2026, O'Leary rejoined the Chargers as the defensive coordinator to replace Jesse Minter, who left to become head coach for the Baltimore Ravens. [4] [5]