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Adam Rittenberg, ESPN Senior Writer
Wisconsin has hired longtime NFL coach Jack Del Rio to its staff, where he will serve as senior adviser to Badgers coach Luke Fickell, the team told ESPN on Thursday.
Del Rio, the former Jaguars and Raiders coach, most recently served as Washington Commanders defensive coordinator until he was fired in November. He will work with both the offense and defense at Wisconsin and assist Fickell, who starts his second season at the school Friday against Western Michigan.
A former linebacker at USC and with four NFL teams, Del Rio has spent his entire coaching career at the pro level. The 61-year-old held defensive coordinator roles with Carolina and Denver before coming to Washington in 2020.
Fickell had hoped to have former Tennessee Titans coach Mike Vrabel, his close friend and former teammate at Ohio State, around the Wisconsin program this season. But Vrabel is serving as a coaching and personnel consultant for the Cleveland Browns.