Matt Pees is in his first year as the New York Giants' assistant linebackers coach, a position he previously held on John Harbaugh's staff with the Baltimore Ravens in 2025. He brings seven years of NFL coaching experience to East Rutherford.
In 2025, Pees helped guide inside linebacker Roquan Smith to his fourth career Pro Bowl after he totaled a team-high 130 tackles, 5 tackles for loss, 4 quarterback hits, 3 passes defensed and 1 fumble recovery. Smith had nine games with 10+ tackles, tied for the most in the NFL in 2025.
Pees spent the 2024 season as a defensive analyst-advance/special projects coach for the Chicago Bears, working closely with the red zone unit. The Bears allowed touchdowns on just 46.0 percent of opponents' red zone trips, the second-best mark in the league, and recorded five red zone takeaways, tied for the third-most.
From 2021-23, Pees was a defensive assistant for the Atlanta Falcons. Atlanta's defense improved in several metrics each season Pees was on staff, including defensive points allowed per game, which dropped from 25.1 in 2021 to 22.7 (2022) and 21.3 (2023). Atlanta also drastically improved in third-down efficiency (48.4 percent in 2021 and 33.8 percent in 2023) and red zone efficiency (63.8 percent in 2021 and 45.3 percent in 2023).
Pees began his NFL career in 2018 with the Tennessee Titans as a defensive assistant/quality control coach, working primarily with the defensive line. During his two seasons in Tennessee, he helped coach Jurrell Casey to Pro Bowl selections in both 2018 and 2019.
Pees walked on the football team at Kent State University before becoming the team's video coordinator. He graduated from Metro State University of Denver with a degree in history and political science. He also earned a master's degree in education from Regis University in Denver.
A native of Bowling Green, Ohio, Pees and his wife, Emily, have two children, Wyatt and Adelyn. He also brings several years of high school coaching experience, including head coaching roles at Findlay (Ohio) High School and Green Mountain High School in Lakewood, Colorado. He is the son of longtime collegiate and NFL defensive coach Dean Pees.
2026-Present: New York Giants - Assistant Linebackers
2025: Baltimore Ravens - Assistant Linebackers
2024: Chicago Bears - Defensive Analyst-Advance/Special Projects
2021-23: Atlanta Falcons - Defensive Assistant
2018-19: Tennessee Titans - Defensive Assistant/Quality Control