DC Defenders fans, it is almost that time to maintain the terror once again. After Shannon Harris led DC to a historic Championship victory a season ago, he has officially returned to bring The District to glory once again.
Not surprisingly, Harris has been able to retain a lot of key pieces from his staff a year ago. Let’s take a look at who will be coaching the Defenders during the UFL’s 2026 season.
Head Coach: Shannon Harris
Shannon Harris has one of the most unique stories you will come across in professional football. Harris took over as DC’s head coach just one week before kickoff this past season. Barlow’s late departure gave him little runway – but he transitioned incredibly smoothly. Harris went 6-4 with the Defenders, alongside a 2-0 playoff run defeating St. Louis and Michigan. He earned Buddy Teevens UFL Coach of the Year honors in 2025.
None of DC’s recent success would have been possible without the leadership of Harris. He stepped in as interim HC, and now has the “tag taken off” heading into his second season as Head Coach of the DC Defenders.
Harris also served as Tennessee State University’s Offensive Coordinator this past fall, under Reggie Barlow. He’s decided to return to the UFL, though, ready to build upon DC’s conquest for another Championship.
Offensive Coordinator: Fred Kaiss
Kaiss has been with this DC franchise the last three seasons, and after another stellar year offensively, is back on Harris’ staff with the Defenders. Kaiss is fresh off earning UFL Assistant Coach of the Year honors in 2025.
Last season, Kaiss and his squad posted a league-best 3,454 offensive yards, averaging 246.5 passing yards/game – a UFL record. Fred leaned into his veteran QB, Jordan Ta’amu – who was a league leader in multiple passing categories. Jordan played at a high level in 2025, playing the best game of his pro career in the Championship as DC posted a ridiculous 58 points.
Fred has plenty of experience under his belt, both professionally and collegiately. He’s been on staff at Morgan State, Tennessee State, Texas A&M, Alabama State, and Alcorn State to name a few of his stops. Kaiss spent a few years away from football, prior to joining Reggie’s XFL staff in DC ahead of the 2023 season.
Defensive Coordinator/D-Line: Blake Williams
Blake Williams officially returns to DC as Defensive Coordinator, having taken the gig from his dad, Gregg, early in the 2025 season. Williams had been added to DC’s staff ahead of their 2025 campaign, originally to serve as D-Line coach.
Blake brings plenty of pro experience to the table, having multiple stints in the NFL:
- Jacksonville Jaguars, Assistant LB Coach: 2008-2009
- New Orleans Saints, Assistant OL/LB Coach: 2009-2012
- Los Angeles Rams, DC/LB Coach: 2012-2013
- Cleveland Browns, LB/interim DC: 2017-2019
- New York Jets, D-Line/Defensive Assistant: 2019-2021
His resume is full of quality coaching experience, having been in the NFL – and also at the collegiate level – for well over a decade. Blake can now add a UFL Championship to his resume, after helping lead DC to victory over Michigan 58-34 this past June.
Quarterbacks: David Johnson
David Johnson makes his way back to the Defenders, this time serving in an official quarterbacks role. Johnson began his time with the DC Defenders as a video assistant, working his way into an assistant quarterbacks role in 2025, with Shannon Harris moving from QB’s Coach to Head Coach. He has previous experience at South Oak Cliff High School, leading the team to two Championships.
Offensive Line: Brian Braswell
Returning to the DC Defenders is Brian Braswell, coaching the offensive line unit. Braswell helped send a few of his O-Linemen to the NFL this past UFL campaign, with Liam Fornadel, Gunner Britton, Mason Brooks, and Yasir Durant earning NFL contracts.
Braswell is no stranger to the pro scene, nor is he new to coaching in the DC area. Braswell has spent the last four seasons at Maryland, coaching their offensive line. Brian’s offensive line unit was key in helping QB Taulia Tagovailoa become the Big-Ten all-time leader in passing yards in 2023. Brian also spent a couple of years with the Cincinnati Bengals, as their Assistant Offensive Line and Quality Control Coach in 2015. That year, they won the AFC North.
Wide Receivers: Andre Simmons
The UFL exists for more than just providing opportunities to players – they do the same for coaches. Andre Simmons is the perfect example of exactly that. A former player at Independence CC and Colorado, Simmons received an opportunity to return to Independence to coach wide receivers, which he did from 2022-2024. Simmons then decided to hit up Reggie Barlow on social media, which led to Barlow hiring him as WR’s coach for the 2025 season.
Simmons will now return to DC, under Harris’ leadership. Andre’s wide receivers were elite in 2025, with Cornell Powell leading the league in touchdowns – and Chris Rowland earned All-UFL honors.
Linebackers/Special Teams: Jerod Kruse
Jerod Kruse returns to the DC Defenders to coach the linebackers, alongside leading the Special Teams unit. Jerod joined DC last year, working with the linebackers unit alongside the defensive linemen, assisting Blake Williams who was promoted to DC. Kruse has a plethora of experience at various levels, including a four year stint as Head Coach at William Jewell College. Jerod coached safeties with the Browns fro 2017-2018, and also had a quick stint with the Chiefs from 2021-2022.
Defensive Backs: Vernon Dean
Vernon Dean, the former Super Bowl Champion defensive back, has returned for a fourth season with the Defenders. Dean joined DC back in 2023, and has since been a key piece to their defensive culture. Under Dean’s tutelage, DB’s such as DeAndre Baker have earned All-UFL honors, while plenty others have earned NFL looks. Dean has been coaching defensive backs since 1990. Some of his notable stops include:
- Defensive Coordinator, Georgetown (1992-1993)
- DB’s Coach, Western Illinois (2002)
- DB’s Coach, Kansas City Chiefs (2003-2006)
- DB’s Coach, Virginia State (2017-2021)
Final Thoughts
The DC Defenders are fully set to maintain the terror with this coaching staff. They’ve retained “The Big Three” of Harris, Kaiss, and Williams – and also kept practically the entire staff intact. It’s an exciting era for fans of the Defenders, as the organization aims to run it back to the Championship – featuring quite a few new faces on their roster.
If you want to be a part of maintaining that terror, you can secure your season tickets here.
What are your thoughts on the DC Defenders Coaching Staff heading into the 2026 UFL season? Let us know down in the comments below, or join the conversation on Discord!
