Commanders hire USC assistant for major role on defensive staff

The Washington Commanders on Wednesday strengthened Dan Quinn’s defensive staff by hiring Eric Henderson as defensive line coach and defensive run game coordinator, per CBS Sports’ Matt Zenitz. Henderson arrives from USC, where he spent the last two seasons as co-defensive coordinator, defensive line coach, and run game coordinator.

The 43-year-old replaces Darryl Tapp as Washington’s defensive line coach. Tapp, who held the role during the 2025 season, will stay with the team as the assistant defensive line coach. After allowing the 30th-most rushing yards per game and finishing 5–12 in 2025, the Commanders are restructuring their defensive front leadership following their 2024 NFC Championship appearance.

Before joining USC in 2024, Henderson spent five seasons with the Los Angeles Rams as defensive line coach and run game coordinator from 2019 through 2023. During that stretch, Los Angeles won the Super Bowl in 2022, and Henderson worked closely with Aaron Donald. His NFL background also includes assistant defensive line coach duties with the Los Angeles Chargers in 2017 and 2018.

At USC, Henderson was the architect of a dramatic defensive turnaround. The Trojans went from allowing 34.4 points per game in 2023, ranking 121st nationally, to holding opponents to 24.1 points per game over the next two seasons. USC finished the 2024 season ranked No. 21 nationally and No. 2 in the Big Ten in third-down conversion percentage defense at 0.335, up from 0.436 and a 106th national ranking the previous season. The program’s run defense, which ranked 119th nationally in 2023, also climbed into the 50s nationally during his tenure.

Henderson also played a mastermind role in USC’s defensive line recruiting success. Over the last two recruiting cycles, he helped land five-star prospects Jahkeem Stewart, Luke Wafle, and Jaimeon Winfield. Stewart, a 6-foot-5, 290-pound defensive tackle, earned FWAA Freshman All-American honors after racking up 7.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks under Henderson’s coaching.

A former Georgia Tech standout, Henderson was a three-time All-ACC defensive end who set the school record for career tackles for loss with 59.5 and ranks fourth in program history with 25.0 sacks. He finished his college career with 175 tackles, eight passes defensed, and seven forced fumbles. Henderson later played three NFL seasons with the Cincinnati Bengals from 2006 to 2008 and began his coaching career in 2012, with stops at UTSA and Oklahoma State.

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