Cardinals outside linebacker coach Charlie Bullen hired at Illinois to same position

Former Arizona Cardinals outside linebacker coach Charlie Bullen was hired at Illinois to take on the same role as well as take on the pass rush coordinator duties, the university announced on Saturday.

Bullen will join the Fighting Illini after spending three seasons with the Cardinals as the outside linebackers coach under Kliff Kingsbury. He first joined the staff in 2019 as an assistant.

He played a part in helping coach Chandler Jones to the Arizona all-time sack record (67) and brings multiple years of NFL experience.

The former Cardinals coach worked with the Miami Dolphins from 2012-18 as a linebacker and defensive line coach.

Bullen joins Illinois head coach Bret Bielema, who was a defensive consultant to Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots in 2018 before being promoted to defensive line coach in 2019.

He also served as an OLB coach under Joe Judge with the New York Giants in 2020, making the NFL experience on the Illini coaching staff plentiful in 2023 after a positive season in 2022.

“I am fired up to be joining the #famILLy back in my home state of Illinois,” Bullen said in a press release.

“I am grateful to coach Bielema and coach Henry for the opportunity to assist with the continued rise of this great program. Ready to get to work!”