JACKSONVILLE - The Jacksonville Jaguars have announced two new additions to the coaching staff for the 2026 season: Mathieu Araujo will serve as defensive pass game coordinator and Brian Picucci as run game coordinator.
Araujo (uh-ROO-joh) joins the Jaguars as defensive pass game coordinator after four seasons (2022-25) with the Miami Dolphins as cornerbacks coach from 2024-25 and assistant defensive backs coach from 2022-23. In 2024, Araujo helped Miami to their first top-five finish in total defense since 2006, holding opponents to 314.4 yards per game to rank fourth in the league. In 2023, the Dolphins' defense achieved a top-10 finish for the first time since 2010, ranking 10th in the NFL with 318.3 yards allowed per game.
Prior to the NFL, Araujo spent seven years in the collegiate coaching ranks, including three seasons (2019-21) at Yale as defensive backs coach (2019-21) and recruiting coordinator (2020-21). An East Freetown, Mass., native, Araujo was a four-year letterman as a defensive back at Bridgewater State.
Picucci (pi-COO-chee) comes to Jacksonville after two seasons with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as offensive line coach (2025) and assistant offensive line coach (2024). Over Picucci's two seasons working with the Buccaneers' offensive line (since 2024), Tampa Bay ranked in the top 10 in the league in multiple rushing categories, including yards per rush (4.7; fifth), rushing first downs (252; tied-sixth) and rushing yards per game (131.9; seventh). In 2024, Picucci assisted a Tampa Bay offense led by current Jaguars Head Coach and former Buccaneers Offensive Coordinator Liam Coen that finished in the top five in points scored (29.5 per game), total yards (399.6), passing yards (250.4), rushing yards (149.2), first downs (23.2) and third-down conversion percentage (50.9 percent).
Before Tampa Bay, Picucci served as a quality control coach for offense at the University of Kentucky in 2023 where he worked closely with Coen, who he coached at UMass from 2005-08. Other stops on Picucci's 31-year coaching journey include Florida International University (2021), the Detroit Lions (2018-19), Maine (2016-17), Becker College (2015), Widener University (2014), Central Connecticut State (2013), UMass (1998-99, 2004-12), Northeastern (2000-03), and Southern Connecticut State (1994-97).
