Ryan Kerrigan is one of the greatest players in the 90-plus-year history of the Washington NFL franchise. A first-round pick in the 2011 NFL draft, Kerrigan played 10 seasons in the burgundy and gold before former coach Ron Rivera foolishly allowed Kerrigan to play his final season elsewhere.
Kerrigan set the franchise record for sacks with 95.5, and after playing the 2021 season with the Philadelphia Eagles, he returned to Washington to retire, where he immediately jumped into coaching.
In 2022, Kerrigan was named the Commanders’ new assistant defensive line coach, a role he held for two seasons until Rivera was fired after the 2023 season. New head Dan Quinn kept Kerrigan, naming him the new assistant linebackers coach/pass rush specialist.
Earlier this season, head coach Dan Quinn praised Kerrigan for his work with former first-round pick Jamin Davis. While Davis was ultimately released after changing positions, coaches were impressed with the work and time Kerrigan spent with Davis to learn a new position.
As it turns out, Davis isn’t the only player Kerrigan has helped this season.
Defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr. praised Kerrigan for his work with veteran edge rusher Dante Fowler Jr. Fowler leads the Commanders with 8.5 sacks, and the 10-year veteran is on pace to set a new career-high in sacks.
“The past couple years, his sack numbers haven’t been as high,” Whitt said of Fowler. “He’s won, he’s beat the tackle, he just hasn’t controlled and finished on the quarterback. And I give all that credit to Ryan Kerrigan. He’s done just a heck of a job taking Dante, and once you get past the tackle, control to the quarterback and finish. That’s really what he’s worked with him for a long time and it’s showing. And then the production that Dante’s having. So, that’s all Ryan right there.”
That’s high praise for the beloved Kerrigan. Consider that Fowler has been with Quinn for years, dating back to when he was a college player at Florida. He’s been with Whitt since 2020. They know him well and recognize that it was Kerrigan who helped Fowler take another step in his career at 30 years old.
Some coaches make it in the coaching world because of their name and who they know. Kerrigan isn’t the type to rest on his name. After a terrific playing career, the future is even brighter for the 36-year-old Kerrigan in the next phase of his football career.
