The Indianapolis Colts are looking to rebuild their defensive coaching staff, a process which started almost immediately after the 2024 regular season ended. The Colts let defensive coordinator Gus Bradley go, and he was replaced by Lou Anarumo, who has the difficult job of turning the troubled Colts defense into a formidable unit.
Anarumo has been hiring his own coaching staff, first with James Bettcher as linebackers coach. Anarumo and Bettchers worked together in Cincinnati for the Bengals, so it wasn't surprising to hear that Bettcher was brought to Indianapolis with Anarumo.
Still, there are more coaching positions that need to be filled, and they just landed another new hire.
Who is Chris Hewitt?
Originally from Jamaica, Hewitt played football in college for the Cincinnati Bearcats, and then in the NFL for the New Orleans Saints. He was later hired by John Harbaugh in 2012 as an assistant special teams coach for the Baltimore Ravens, where he remained until now.
Hewitt steadily rose in the ranks, going from assistant special teams coach to defensive backs coach to, most recently, assistant head coach. There were several teams eyeing Hewitt as a potential defensive coordinator, according to SI, making this a huge catch for the Colts.
In Indianapolis, Hewitt will serve as defensive backs coach and passing game coordinator. With the Ravens, he has held numerous positions, including pass defense coordinator, pass game coordinator and secondary coach, pass game coach, and secondary coach. He was part of the coaching staff when the Ravens won the Super Bowl in 2013, and his experience includes time with some of the NFL's most notable coaches, including Wink Martindale, Dean Pees, and Mike McDonald.
General manager Chris Ballard has admitted that the defense needs to be more aggressive, a marked change from Bradley, and Hewitt will certainly help. The Ravens were known for their blitzing and their man coverage, and Hewitt specifically is known to elevate the play of the defensive backs he's coaching.