Pitt football’s offseason of change continues as associate head coach and defensive line coach Charlie Partridge
leaves the team to join the NFL’s Indianapolis Colts.
“My heart feels heavy and filled with gratitude for Pitt and Pittsburgh. I am honored to be a defensive line coach in
the NFL. It’s time, and I’m excited to start coaching football! “#H2P,” Partridge wrote on X, formerly known as
Twitter, early Monday afternoon.
Partridge, 50, will take his first NFL job after 28 years of coaching in college.
Partridge, one of Pitt head coach Pat Narduzzi’s top assistants, returned to the program in 2017 after serving in
various roles under former Pitt coaches Walt Harris and Dave Wannstedt from 2003 to 2007.
During Partridge’s second term in Pittsburgh, the Panthers were recognized for having one of the best defensive lines
in the country. Pitt ranked in the top three in total sacks nationwide from 2019 to 2022, tying Clemson for first place
in 2020.
Under Partridge, Pitt’s defensive tackle Calijah Kancey was named a Consensus All-American in 2022, the first time
since 2013. Kancey was named ACC Defensive Player of the Year before being taken by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
with the 19th overall pick in the 2023 NFL draft.
Prior to Kancey, defensive ends Patrick Jones II and Rashad Weaver were selected Consensus All-Americans in
2020, marking the first time since 1977 that two Pitt defensive players achieved consensus status in the same season.
Jones and Weaver were taken in the 2021 NFL Draft, along with defensive tackle Jaylen Twyman, who was a second-
team All-American in 2019.
