Mathieu Araujo (uh-ROO-joh) enters his first season with the Jaguars as defensive pass game coordinator and fifth season coaching in the NFL in 2026.
Araujo has spent the past four years (2022-25) with the Miami Dolphins as cornerbacks coach from 2024-25 and assistant defensive backs coach from 2022-23. Araujo helped the defense achieve a top-10 finish in 2023 for the first time since 2010, ranking 10th in the NFL with 318.3 yards allowed per game. In 2024, Miami finished fourth in total defense, holding opponents to 314.4 yards per game and marking the first top-five finish since finishing fourth in 2006 (289.1).
In 2025, Araujo helped CB Jack Jones set career highs in tackles (77), tackles for loss (four) and forced fumbles (two). Jones finished the season tied-first in fumbles forced, tied-fifth in tackles for loss and tied-sixth in total tackles in the NFL among cornerbacks. In his time with the Dolphins, Araujo also helped mentor CB Kader Kohou, who was an undrafted free agent in 2022. In 2024, Kohou became the fourth undrafted cornerback in NFL history to reach 180 tackles and three interceptions in the first three seasons of his NFL career (Chris Harris Jr., Brian Poole and Jacob Lacey).
The Dolphins earned two consecutive playoff berths in 2022-23, the team's first back-to-back postseason appearances since 1997-2001. After missing the first seven games of 2023 due to injury, CB Jalen Ramsey made an immediate impact, recording three interceptions and earning his seventh career Pro Bowl selection. Araujo also helped CB Xavien Howard to a fourth-straight season with 12-plus passes defensed, making him one of only two players in the NFL to do so from 2020-23.
In Araujo's first season with Miami in 2022, he helped the team earn a playoff berth for the first time since 2016. The Dolphins led the NFL in total defense during the final three weeks of the regular season (245.7 yards allowed per game). Kohou led all undrafted rookies in defensive snaps (852), tackles (72) and passes defensed (10) that season. Howard, who recorded one interception and 12 passes defensed, earned his fourth career Pro Bowl nod.
Prior to coming to the NFL, Araujo spent seven years in the collegiate coaching ranks. He spent three seasons (2019-21) at Yale as defensive backs coach (2019-21) and recruiting coordinator (2020-21).
He was promoted to co-defensive coordinator following the 2021 season and shortly after was named assistant head coach/defensive coordinator at the University of Maine before accepting a role with the Dolphins.
In 2021, Araujo helped Yale lead the FCS in third-down defense (22.1 pct.). The Bulldogs finished 19th in total defense (326.9), 21st in rushing defense (117.1) and 22nd in defensive pass efficiency (117.4). Araujo mentored DB Rodney Thomas II, who became Yale's first NFL draft pick since 2018 when he was selected by Indianapolis in the seventh round (239th overall) of the 2022 NFL Draft. He also spent time with the Houston Texans after being selected for the Bill Walsh Minority Internship during the 2021 offseason.
In Araujo's first season at Yale (2019), he helped the team drastically improve in interceptions from last place in 2018 with three to 11 in 2019, which was tied for second in the Ivy League.
Araujo spent two seasons (2017-18) at Boston College where he began his tenure as an intern and was promoted to graduate assistant in 2018. He primarily worked with the defensive backs and helped the Eagles reach bowl games in both seasons. Boston College had 18 interceptions in each of Araujo's two seasons there, which was tied for fifth in the nation in 2018 and tied for 12th in 2017. At Boston College, Araujo coached three draft picks – S Will Harris (2019, 81st overall, Detroit), CB Isaac Yiadom (2018, 99th overall, Denver) and CB Kamrin Moore (2019, 189th overall, New Orleans).
His first coaching position came as wide receivers/running backs coach at Maine Maritime Academy in 2015. In 2016, Araujo served as a graduate assistant at Springfield College, where he worked with the outside linebackers and coordinated the special teams units.
An East Freetown, Mass., native, Araujo was a four-year letterman as a defensive back at Bridgewater State. He earned his bachelor's degree in physical education from Bridgewater State and a master's degree in education from Springfield College. He and his wife, Elise, have a daughter, Avery, and a son, Carter.
