Days after their Super Bowl LIX loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, the Kansas City Chiefs have already been making changes for their 2025 redemption campaign, per CBS Sports college football reporter Matt Zenitz.
Making his return: Matt House
Zenitz indicates that Matt House — Kansas City’s linebackers coach from 2019-21 and Super Bowl LIV champion — is returning to the club as a senior defensive assistant. House departed the Chiefs in 2022 to become LSU’s defensive coordinator, then coached linebackers for the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2024.
New to Kansas City: Chris Orr
A college teammate of Chiefs linebacker Leo Chenal at Wisconsin (2019), Chris Orr will reportedly join the Chiefs as their new quality control coach. After five years at Wisconsin, Orr joined the Carolina Panthers as an undrafted free agent (2020), logging three appearances. Orr bounced around in the USFL/UFL (United Football League) before serving Jacksonville State as its linebackers coach in 2024.
Chenal took to social media to express his excitement in Orr joining the club:
Death Row full steam ahead! We ready to work!! https://t.co/4rfszniHEg
— Leo Chenal (@lchenal54) February 13, 2025
The term “Death Row” refers to a nickname for the linebacker position group from their days together at Wisconsin. It symbolizes the grit and aggressiveness it takes to be in that position for the Badgers. Chenal famously wore the words on his bicep while playing for the Badgers.
(Note: A previous version of this article incorrectly stated Orr would be the Chiefs’ new linebackers coach. It is now apparent that is not the case.)
Leaving Kansas City: Donald D’Alesio
After spending three seasons (2022-24) as the Chiefs’ safeties coach, Donald D’Alesio is reportedly leaving Kansas City to become defensive backs coach for the Baltimore Ravens. He exits the Chiefs as a two-time Super Bowl champion (2022-23).
The Chiefs typically finalize and announce all coaching moves in one release, likely sometime within the next month.