Jack Del Rio, Brent Vieselmeyer ousted from Commanders' defensive staff

ARLINGTON, Va. (7News) — There's a shakeup in the defense staff for the Washington Commanders after Thursday's poor performance in Dallas.

Defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio and Defensive Back coach Brent Vieselmeyer have been ousted from the team, the team announced Friday morning.

Head Coach Ron Rivera is likely to call all the defensive plays going forward despite concerns over his future status with the team.

"I feel exactly how our fans feel today: disappointed and frustrated. It's how our players and staff feel as well. I knew our first season of ownership would include challenges along the way, and we will not shy away from hard work, nor will we be deterred by adversity," said Washington Commanders' managing partner Josh Harris in a statement. "As Coach Rivera and I discussed, all of our energy for the remainder of the season will be focused on playing better, more consistent football and developing our players while intently evaluating the areas in which we need to improve this offseason."

Both Del Rio and Vieselmeyer joined the team in January 2020. Del Rio previously served as head coach of the Oakland Raiders from 2015-2017.

In 2020, Del Rio was fined $100,000 by the team for comments he made comparing the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol to the George Floyd protests, according to the Associated Press.

The Commanders lost overwhelmingly to the Dallas Cowboys 45-10 on Thanksgiving, their first Thanksgiving matchup since 2020.

After a promising start to the season, the team has dropped to 4-8. According to the Associated Press and ESPN, the team's defense ranks 29th in the league, above the Cincinnati Bengals below the New York Giants.