Jordan Kovacs is in his seventh season on the Bengals' coaching staff and his second in the role of secondary/safeties coach. He spent the 2019-21 seasons as a defensive quality control coach with a focus on linebackers, then served as assistant linebackers coach from '22-23.
In 2024, his first season overseeing Cincinnati's safeties room, Kovacs led a group that contributed to eight total takeaways (six INTs and two FRs). He worked with offseason free agent acquisition Geno Stone, who led the team with four INTs (tied for 10th in NFL), including a stretch of three picks in three consecutive games in December. Kovacs also helped implement second-year pro Jordan Battle in the starting lineup for the final six games, a move that led to Battle totaling 33 tackles and an INT while the Bengals posted a 5-1 record to close out the regular season.
In 2023, Kovacs worked with the talented LB duo of Logan Wilson and Germaine Pratt, who each set career highs in tackles. Wilson's team-leading 135 stops were the most by a Bengals player since LB Vontaze Burfict in 2013 (171), while Pratt topped the 100-tackle mark (118) for the first time in his career. Wilson tied for the team lead with four INTs (tied for seventh in NFL).
Wilson and Pratt also paced the Bengals in tackles in 2022, with Wilson recording 123 and Pratt netting 99 — a career high for both players at the time. The pair helped Cincinnati rank sixth in the NFL in points allowed (20.1 per game) and seventh in rushing yards allowed (106.6).
In 2021, Kovacs aided in Wilson and Pratt's ascendance as core members of a Bengals defense that ranked fifth leaguewide in rushing yards allowed (102.5 per game). Wilson led the team with 98 tackles and four INTs, then followed up with a NFL-leading 39 tackles in Cincinnati's postseason run to Super Bowl LVI. Pratt posted 88 tackles in the regular season and had a game-sealing INT late in the Wild Card Playoff win over Las Vegas.
In 2020, Kovacs worked with a young LB group that featured three rookie draft picks. The room contributed to the Bengals holding opposing QBs to just a 62.8 completion percentage, sixth-best in the NFL.
In 2019, his first season on an NFL coaching staff, Kovacs helped key a substantial defensive turnaround, as Cincinnati allowed 84.1 fewer yards per game in the second half of the season compared to the first eight games.
Prior to joining the Bengals' staff, Kovacs spent two seasons (2017-18) working at his alma mater, the University of Michigan. In 2018, he served as a defensive graduate assistant with a focus on the defensive line, helping the Wolverines finish second nationally in total defense (275.2 yards per game). He spent the 2017 season as a coaching intern at Michigan, working with the defense and special teams. The Wolverines were the only team in the country to hold five opponents under 200 yards of total offense — a feat which no other Big Ten school had accomplished in the previous 20 years.
Kovacs played safety for the Miami Dolphins for parts of three seasons (2013-15), after originally signing with the team as a college free agent in '13. He saw action in 28 career games for the Dolphins, totaling 10 tackles and a sack. He also spent time briefly on the practice squads of Philadelphia (2014), Kansas City (2016 preseason) and the L.A. Rams ('16 preseason).
Kovacs had a standout collegiate career as a safety at Michigan from 2009-12, after originally joining the program as a walk-on in '08. He was a four-year starter for the Wolverines, appearing in 50 total games with 46 starts. He became just the 15th player in school history to record 300 career tackles, and left the program ranked 12th in that category (331).
As a senior in 2012, Kovacs earned Michigan's Bo Schembechler Most Valuable Player Award, as well as second-team All-Big Ten honors. He also was a finalist for the Burlsworth Trophy, presented annually to the top college football player who began their career as a walk-on. Kovacs was named All-Big Ten Honorable Mention in 2010 and '11, and was an Academic All-Big Ten selection in '11 and '12.
Kovacs was born June 12, 1990, in Curtice, Ohio, outside of Toledo. He graduated from Michigan in 2012 with a degree in kinesiology. He and his wife, Kat, have a son, Louis.
Playing and coaching history: 2009-12—Played S at Michigan. 2013-15—Played S with Miami Dolphins. 2017—Coaching intern, Michigan. 2018—Graduate assistant coach, Michigan. 2019-present—Assistant coach, Cincinnati Bengals.
