Gerald Chatman in 2020 enters his second season in Cincinnati, and second season as a full-time NFL coach. He will again serve as a defensive assistant, primarily assisting with the team's defensive ends and outside linebackers.
Chatman previously worked with the Bengals as a coaching intern in the Bill Walsh NFL Minority Coaching Fellowship program during OTAs and minicamp in 2018. He also worked as an offseason coaching intern with the Denver Broncos (2016) and Green Bay Packers ('15).
Last year, Chatman helped the Bengals' defensive line improve significantly as the season progressed. Cincinnati notched 11 more sacks in the second half of 2019 compared to the first eight games. The defense also allowed 84.1 fewer yards per game the second half of the season, including 57.5 fewer rushing yards. Additionally, under Chatman's guidance, DT Geno Atkins earned his eighth Pro Bowl nomination.
Prior to his time with the Bengals, Chatman spent nine years in the college coaching ranks. He spent 2017-18 at Tennessee State University, where he worked as defensive ends/linebackers coach in 2017, and then added duties as special teams coordinator for the '18 season.
In 2018, Chatman helped three special teams players to all-conference honors, including Ohio Valley special teams player of the year Chris Rowland, who averaged 13.0 yards per punt return. He also helped DE Mekhi Brown to second-team all-conference honors, after posting 6.5 tackles for losses and four sacks.
In 2017, his first at Tennessee State, he helped guide the Tigers' defense to average yields of just 19.6 points and 278.5 yards per game, good for a No. 7 FCS ranking in total defense.
Prior to his time at Tennessee State, Chatman spent one season (2016) as defensive line coach at Elon University.
In 2015, Chatman was a graduate assistant at Texas A&M University, where he worked primarily with the defensive line. He helped the Aggies to an 8-5 record, and guided DE Myles Garrett to All-SEC and All-America honors. Chatman was also selected to participate in the NFL-NCAA Coaches Academy.
Chatman spent the 2014 season as defensive line coach and assistant recruiting coordinator at Butler University, where his defensive line played a key role in the Bulldogs leading the Pioneer Football League in rushing defense and ranking second in sacks.
From 2012-13, Chatman worked as a defensive graduate assistant at Ball State University, and helped guide the program to consecutive bowl games. He also helped oversee the development of Cardinals DE Jonathan Newsome, who earned first-team All-Mid-American Conference honors and later was selected in the fifth round of the 2014 NFL draft.
Chatman started his coaching career at his alma mater, the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh, where he served as defensive line coach from 2010-11. Prior to his time on the coaching staff, Chatman was a defensive lineman at Wisconsin-Oshkosh from 2006-10.
Chatman was born June 18, 1988, in Milwaukee, Wisc. He holds a bachelor's degree in educational leadership and human service from Wisconsin-Oshkosh, and a master's degree in adult and community education from Ball State. Chatman and his wife, Lauren, have two girls — Kinley and Amelia.
Playing and coaching history: 2006-10—Played defensive tackle at Wisconsin-Oshkosh. 2010-11—Assistant coach (AC), Wisconsin-Oshkosh. 2012-13—Graduate assistant coach, Ball State. 2014—AC, Butler. 2015—Graduate assistant coach, Texas A&M. 2016—AC, Elon. 2017-18—AC, Tennessee State. 2019-present—AC, Cincinnati Bengals.
