Washington hires USC assistant for top role on defensive staff

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

The 43-year-old replaced Daryl Tapp as Washington’s defensive line coach. Tapp, who served in that role through the 2025 season, will remain with the team as an assistant defensive line coach. After allowing the 30th most yards per game and finishing 5–12 in 2025, the Commanders are restructuring their defensive leadership following an appearance in the 2024 NFC Championship.

Before joining USC in 2024, Henderson spent five seasons with the Los Angeles Rams as defensive line coach and running game coordinator from 2019 to 2023. During that span, Los Angeles won the Super Bowl in 2022, and Henderson worked closely with Aaron Donald. His NFL experience also includes serving as an assistant defensive line coach 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, 121st nationally, to holding opponents to 24.1 points per game over the next two seasons. USC finished the 2024 season ranked 21st nationally and 2nd in the Big Ten in third-down conversion percentage defense at .335, up from .436 and 106th nationally the previous season. The program’s run defense, which ranked 119th nationally in 2023, also climbed into the top 50 nationally during his tenure.

Henderson also played a major role in the recruiting success of USC’s defensive line. 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 FVAA 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 player who set the school career tackles for loss record 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 2006-08 and began his coaching career in 2012, making stops at UTSA and Oklahoma State.