Coaches | Houston Texans - HoustonTexans.com

Cory Undlin enters his fourth season with the Houston Texans as the defensive passing game coordinator in 2026 after spending two seasons (2021-22) as the San Francisco 49ers defensive passing game specialist/secondary coach, where he worked alongside former 49ers defensive coordinator and current Houston Texans Head Coach DeMeco Ryans.

In 2025, Undlin helped coach a defense that ranked first in the NFL in yards allowed per game (277.2), second in points allowed per game (17.4), fourth in rushing yards allowed per game (93.7) and sixth in passing yards allowed per game (183.5). The unit set a single-season franchise record for fewest total net yards allowed per game and tied the franchise mark for fewest points allowed per game. The defense also forced 29 turnovers, tied for the third-most in the NFL in 2025 and tied for the third-most in franchise history.

Undlin helped lead a defensive backs unit that allowed the sixth-fewest passing yards per game (183.5) in the NFL and post the third-lowest defensive passer rating (76.2). The team also totaled 19 interceptions, tied for the third-most in the NFL and tied for the third most in franchise history. The Texans became the first team since the 2017 Jacksonville Jaguars to have four players each record at least four interceptions in a single season (CB Derek Stingley Jr., CB Kamari Lassiter, S Jalen Pitre and S Calen Bullock).

Stingley Jr., Lassiter and Bullock each earned Pro Bowl honors with Stingley also joining WRs Andre Johnson and DeAndre Hopkins and DE J.J. Watt as the only players in franchise history to earn AP First Team All-Pro honors in back-to-back seasons. Stingley's Pro Bowl nod was the second of his career while Lassiter earned his first Pro Bowl nod after totaling the fourth-most passes defensed (17) and tied for the third-most interceptions (4) in the AFC. Bullock was also named to his first Pro Bowl in 2025 after recording 64 tackles (44 solo), 10 passes defensed, four interceptions and one forced fumble, including two INTs and a forced fumble against Buffalo in Week 12. Pitre also had a strong season as he totaled 74 tackles (43 solo), 12 passes defensed and four interceptions in 14 games played (13 starts).

In his second season with the Texans, Undlin helped lead Stingley to a career year. Stingley earned his first AP First-Team All-Pro selection, was named to the Pro Bowl for the first time in his career and named to The Sporting News All-Pro First Team. He finished the season ranked second in the league in passes defensed (18) and was one-of-two players to register 15-plus passes defensed and five-plus interceptions. Stingley earned Defensive Player of the Week honors following his Week 15 performance where he became the first player in NFL history to record two tackles for loss and two interceptions in a single game. It also marked his second career game with multiple interceptions, a feat only three other cornerbacks have accomplished since he joined the league in 2022. Bullock and Lassiter also registered historic rookie seasons. Bullock and Stingley finished the year tied for second in the AFC and sixth in the NFL in interceptions (five). Bullock also led all rookies in interceptions and became the first rookie since 2000 to record five interceptions in a season, earning him PFWA All-Rookie Team honors. Lassiter had an explosive first year, finishing the season with 58 tackles (42 solo), 10 passes defensed, four tackles for loss and three interceptions. He did not allow a catch when targeted in the postseason and joined J.J. Watt as the only rookies in Texans history to record an interception in a playoff game. As a whole, the defensive backs unit notched 19 interceptions, the second-most in the league and the third-most in franchise history.

In Undlin's first season with the Texans, Stingley recorded three consecutive games with an interception and earning one AFC Defensive Player of the Week honor and one AFC Defensive Player of the Month accolade despite missing seven games in the beginning of the season due to injury. Stingley finished the season with 39 tackles (28 solo), one tackle for loss, 13 passes defensed and five interceptions, which was the fourth-most in the NFL. Additionally, Undlin played a role in the growth of second-year S Jalen Pitre and veteran S Jimmie Ward, who Undlin coached during his time with the 49ers. Ward tallied 50 tackles (33), three passes defensed, one forced fumble and one game winning interception in Week 13 vs. Denver (12/3).

During the 2022 season, Undlin guided the 49ers secondary to a league-high 20 interceptions, a league-low 71 big plays allowed and an appearance in the NFC Championship Game. Under Undlin's mentorship, nine-year veteran Ward finished the season with the sixth-highest overall defensive grade (80.6) and second-highest run defensive grade (91.4) among all NFL safeties, according to Pro Football Focus. In addition, Undlin also helped with the development of second-year S Talanoa Hufanga, who finished the regular season with 95 tackles (65), 2.0 sacks, four interceptions, nine passes defensed, two fumble recoveries and earned AP first-team All-Pro, PFWA All-NFL Team, PFWA All-NFC Team and his first Pro Bowl nod.

In 2021, eight defensive players recorded an interception for the 49ers, including DB Emmanuel Moseley, who posted a career-high 11 passes defensed and one interception on the season. The 49ers defense finished the 2021 season allowing just 206.5 passing yards per game, the sixth-best in the NFL.

As the defensive coordinator for the Detroit Lions (2020), Undlin worked with DL Romeo Okwara, who became one-of-four players in the NFL to have at least 10.0 sacks, 10 tackles for loss (11), three forced fumbles and one fumble recovery on the season.

Undlin joined the Lions after spending the previous five seasons (2015-19) as the defensive backs coach for the Philadelphia Eagles, where he worked closely with former Eagles assistant secondary coach and current Texans defensive backs coach Dino Vasso. In 2019, Undlin's secondary registered 82 passes defensed (the sixth-most in the NFL) and 7.5 sacks (tied for the most). In 2018, Undlin guided S Malcom Jenkins to 93 tackles, eight passes defensed, three forced fumbles, one fumble recovery, one interception, 1.0 sack and his third career Pro Bowl selection. Undlin was a part of the 2017 Eagles defensive coaching staff that claimed a 41-33 victory over the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LII. The defense accounted for the fourth-most takeaways (31) and interceptions (19) that season. In Undlin's first year in Philadelphia (2015), the Eagles were one of five teams to have three defensive backs register 10-plus passes defensed on the season.

Prior to his time with the Eagles, Undlin was the defensive backs (2013-14) and defensive quality control coach (2012) with the Denver Broncos. He helped the unit finish the 2014 regular season ranked third in total defense (305.2 yards per game), fourth in passes defensed (91) and saw CB Chris Harris Jr., CB Aqib Talib and S T.J. Ward each earn Pro Bowl selections. Undlin helped the 2013 Broncos defense record the fourth-most passes defensed (97) in the NFL and reach Super Bowl XLVIII. As a quality control coach for the Broncos defense in 2012, Undlin's defense was the only unit in the NFL that did not allow a 300-yard passer all season.

Undlin joined the Denver Broncos following three years with the Jacksonville Jaguars, where he started as a defensive assistant (2009) before being promoted to defensive backs coach (2010-11). He also spent four seasons with the Cleveland Browns as the team's defensive quality control coach (2005-06), secondary/assistant special teams coach (2007) and defensive backs coach (2008). His first NFL coaching role came as a defensive coaching assistant (2004) for the New England Patriots, when he helped the team defeat the Philadelphia Eagles, 24-21, in Super Bowl XXXIX.

Undlin landed his first coaching role as the linebackers coach at California Lutheran (1998-99), his alma mater, before being promoted to defensive coordinator for three seasons (2000-02). He also coached defensive backs as a graduate assistant at Fresno State (2003) before transitioning to the NFL.

Undlin played defensive back at California Lutheran (1990-94) and registered the third-most interceptions in school history (12). He was part of the 1993 California Lutheran team that finished third in the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) for the first time in school history.

The Sauk Centre, Minn., native and his wife, Amy, have one son, Caden, and two daughters, Brooke and Taylor.