Aaron Whitecotton is in his first season as the 49ers assistant defensive line coach. He joined San Francisco after spending the previous three seasons with the Buffalo Bills as the team's assistant defensive line coach (2018-19) and administrative assistant to the head coach (2017).
The 2019 Bills defense finished the season ranked third in the NFL, allowing 298.3 total yards per game. Buffalo's defensive line saw multiple players register career highs in sacks on the season, with DT Jordan Phillips leading the team with a career-high 9.5 sacks, DE Shaq Lawson racking up 6.5 sacks and rookie DT Ed Oliver finishing the season with 5.0 sacks of his own, making the Pro Football Writers Association All-Rookie team.
In 2018, Buffalo allowed 294.1 total yards per game, ranking second in the NFL that season. DE Jerry Hughes registered 7.0 sacks on the year, marking his most in a season since 2014. He also tied a career high with three forced fumbles. In his final NFL season, DT Kyle Williams finished with 5.0 sacks and earned a trip to the Pro Bowl.
Whitecotton spent the 2017 season as the administrative assistant to Bills head coach Sean McDermott. He worked closely with McDermott, who was in his first season as a head coach in the NFL.
Before joining the Bills, Whitecotton spent four years with the Jacksonville Jaguars as assistant defensive line coach (2016) and defensive assistant (2013-15). Whitecotton worked with rookie DE Yannick Ngakoue who registered a team-high 8.0 sacks to go along with four forced fumbles and earned All-Rookie honors by the Pro Football Writers Association. The Jaguars finished the season ranking sixth in the NFL, allowing 321.7 total yards per game.
From 2013-15, Whitecotton coached along with Todd Wash, who at the time was the defensive line coach/run game coordinator prior to his promotion to Jacksonville's defensive coordinator in 2016. He also assisted the entire staff in game preparation.
Prior to his time in Jacksonville, Whitecotton was a defensive assistant at New Mexico State University for one season (2012). He worked under defensive coordinator David Elson and head coach DeWayne Walker.
Whitecotton began his coaching career at Myers Park (Charlotte, NC) High School (2005-11), serving as the defensive coordinator, linebackers and defensive line coach throughout his time at the school.
A native of Charlotte, NC, Whitecotton played center at the University of South Carolina for two seasons (2000-01) before transferring to the University of North Carolina at Charlotte where he earned his undergraduate degree. He and his wife, Heather, have one son, Jax.
