Pat Fitzgerald has been methodically assembling his coaching staff since taking over at Michigan State. And the search for a defensive line coach has been one of the final major pieces to fall into place. The Spartans needed someone who could inject life into a defensive front that managed just 22 sacks this past season, one of the worst marks in the Big Ten. And now, it seems like Pat Fitzgerald has locked down a brilliant hire.

Michigan State is working to hire $5.5 billion Arizona Cardinals defensive line coach Winston DeLattiboudere for the same role, sources told On3’s Pete Nakos. The former Minnesota assistant coach and player is expected to join the Spartans’ staff after spending less than a year in the NFL with the Cardinals. CBS Sports first reported that DeLattiboudere was the target for the position, and the sides are now working through the final details to finalize the deal. 

The 27-year-old coach has built a reputation as one of the brightest young minds in the profession. He earned recognition from the AFCA’s 2024 35 Under 35 Coaches Leadership Institute. He also participated in the Bill Walsh Diversity Coaching Fellowship twice. First, he worked with the Green Bay Packers in 2023 and then with the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2022.​

DeLattiboudere’s journey from player to coach is a perfect blueprint for someone who wants to lead position groups at the highest level. He finished his playing career at Minnesota with Academic All-Big Ten honors and the Tony Dungy Award in 2019. But it was his work on the sidelines that truly turned heads. He started as a graduate assistant at Charlotte in 2020, where he helped develop three Conference USA all-league selections. And then climbed the ranks quickly. 

His stop at Oregon as a graduate assistant in 2021 was followed by a one-year stint at Akron in 2022 before his alma mater brought him back home. At Minnesota, he transformed the Golden Gophers’ defensive line from an afterthought into a genuine strength. He increased the team’s sack total from 19 in 2022 to 26 in his first season and then 28 in 2024. 

What makes DeLattiboudere such an intriguing hire for Michigan State is the combination of his track record with development and his ties to the Big Ten footprint. Pat Fitzgerald is building a staff that understands the region and the conference. And DeLattiboudere checks both boxes while bringing NFL experience from his brief Cardinals stint. His work at Minnesota demonstrated that he can maximize talent, even when not dealing with five-star recruits. 

He’s also proven to be a relentless recruiter. He served as Minnesota’s newcomer coordinator in addition to his responsibilities on the defensive line. Michigan State ranked near the bottom of the Big Ten in pressures and sacks this past season. And fixing that starts with better technique and more aggressive coaching. DeLattiboudere’s ability to develop multiple players into all-conference performers demonstrates that he knows how to maximize the potential of his team.​

Michigan State shows its commitment 

Building a championship-caliber staff takes more than just finding the right names. It takes writing the right checks, and Michigan State clearly understands that. The DeLattiboudere hire is part of a larger investment the university has made in providing Fitzgerald with the resources he needs to compete in the modern Big Ten landscape. 

When the Board of Trustees officially approved Pat Fitzgerald’s contract on December 12, they also greenlit a massive $12.12 million salary pool for assistant coaches and support staff. This is a significant $1.37 million increase from what Jonathan Smith had to work with when he arrived. That extra money matters in a sport where the difference between landing an NFL-caliber coach like DeLattiboudere versus settling for a lower-tier option can determine whether a defensive line becomes a strength or remains a weakness. 

The structure also allows coordinators and the head strength coach to sign three-year contracts with the athletic director’s approval. All other assistants are capped at two-year contracts.

Michigan State is still paying Jonathan Smith roughly $6.5 million annually through 2030 after firing him without cause. However, they’re simultaneously investing more in Fitzgerald’s staff than they ever did in Smith. Fitzgerald himself is actually making less per year than Smith did. He has a base salary of $5 million compared to Smith’s $7.25 million first-year deal. However, the allocation of resources reveals where the university believes wins are actually achieved.