Aden Durde returned to the Dallas Cowboys in 2021 as the team's new defensive line coach after beginning his NFL coaching career in Dallas as a coaching intern from 2014-15.
In his first season at the helm of the defensive line, Durde's unit produced 23.0 sacks and harangued opposing quarterbacks with consistent pressure on 237-of-684 opponent dropbacks - third-most in the league in 2021, per Pro Football Focus. The unit suffered a setback when star defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence broke his foot following Week 1 and missed the next 11 games, forcing the line to shuffle and come up with creative ways to rush the passer. The setback turned into opportunity, as rookie linebacker Micah Parsons took on more of a role at defensive end and flourished as a pass rusher, accumulating a franchise rookie-record 13.0 sacks.
Prior to Dallas, Durde spent three seasons with the Atlanta Falcons under former Falcons head coach and current Cowboys defensive coordinator, Dan Quinn, where he was first a coaching intern (2016), then as a defensive assistant (2018-19) and finally the outside linebackers coach (2020). In 2020 two Falcons linebackers surpassed the century mark in tackles - Foyesade Oluokun (team and career-high 116) and Deion Jones (105 - second) - while Jones' career-high 4.5 sacks also led all team defenders. Additionally, Durde filled in as the team's defensive line coach at Minnesota (10/18/20) when both of the Falcons two defensive line coaches (Jess Simpson and Tosh Lupoi) did not travel for the game due to COVID-19 precautions. In 2019 Durde assisted in overseeing a defensive line unit that was anchored by Grady Jarrett and Tyeler Davison. The Falcons defense held opponents to 103.5 rushing yards over the final eight weeks of the season, which ranked 10th in the NFL. Additionally, the Falcons tallied 21.0 sacks over the final eight games - tied for 10th in the league during that span.
Durde joined the Falcons after serving as the head of football development at NFLUK, where he helped guide the International Player Pathway program. Working with Super Bowl champion and former Falcon Osi Umenyiora, Durde helped four international players, tight end Alex Gray (Atlanta), defensive end Alex Jenkins (New Orleans), defensive end Efe Obada (Carolina), and linebacker Eric Nzeocha (Tampa Bay) transition to practice squads in 2017. Prior to his work with NFLUK, Durde spent training camp with the Falcons as part of the Bill Walsh NFL Diversity Coaching Fellowship in 2016. He also worked as a coaching intern for the NFL's fellowship program with the Cowboys during training camp in 2014 and 2015. Durde also served as the defensive coordinator of the London Warriors for six seasons.
Durde played linebacker in NFL Europe for six years with the Scottish Claymores and Hamburg Sea Devils and was a member of Hamburg's 2007 NFL Europa World Bowl XV Championship team - the final championship in the European league history. He also spent time on the practice squads of the Carolina Panthers and Kansas City Chiefs.
A native of North London, Durde and his wife, Kate, have two sons, Kane and Dylan.
